Harry Potter-Dark Wizard?
by Lee Velviet
Summary: Harry goes missing the summer after his sixth year on a quest with Sirius Black-he returnes older, darker, and more powerful after having received the omnipotent powers of the Order Of The Phoenix. He can now defeat Voldemort, but at what cost?
1. Default Chapter

Harry Potter-Dark Wizard?  
  
Author: Lee Velviet  
  
E-Mail: Vampslay@Bellsouth.net  
  
Disclaimer: You know who this stuff belongs to-J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., etc-I own absolutely nothing! ::Sob::  
  
Summary: This was supposed to be my great epic-my sweeping HP saga- right. I couldn't even think of a good title. ::Sighs in disgust:: Anyway, Harry gets lost the summer after his sixth year while on a kind of quest with Sirius Black-he returns to Hogwarts older, darker, wiser, and more powerful, after acquiring a piece of his destiny, the ancient, omnipotent powers of the Order Of The Phoenix. But it comes with a price-though he may be able to at last defeat Voldemort for good, it seems all too possible he may be setting himself up to be the greatest dark wizard ever.  
  
(Ok, Lameness abounds-read on, true believers, and let me know what you think! Reviews would rock, flames are welcome, but constructive criticism would be better! As always, please let me know if I get facts wrong! Thanks for reading!)  
  
  
  
1.The Present  
  
Ginny was up on the highest tower battlements of the castle, which now served as the Astronomy observation area for Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry. She was leaning on one of the pitted, ancient stone crenellations, watching the stars flash at her brilliantly from the midnight blue sky above the dark silhouette of the Forbidden forest, a cool March wind combing through her hair and chilling her skin.  
  
She hadn't been able to sleep that night-she'd been positively humming with nerves. After tossing and turning for two hours, Ginny had risen quietly from her bed, and dressed, pulling on her robes and shoes, and made her way to the common room. She'd found it near impossible to sit- so she'd risked detention and slipped out of the tower, into the corridors.  
  
Luckily Filch had been busy chasing and ranting about Peeves-he'd been easy enough to dodge.  
  
She looked out over the blackness of the forest again, a deep sense of foreboding resting like a dark thundercloud over her head and shoulders.  
  
Something just wasn't right.  
  
Ginny knew she should go back inside, crawl into bed, and try to sleep, but…  
  
Everything looked perfectly normal-but there was an insidious darkness creeping over everything-it made her shiver. Ginny wanted to run to the Headmaster-but what could she say?  
  
"I'm sorry to wake you in the middle of the night, Professor Dumbledore, but I'm afraid of the dark."  
  
Ginny shook her head and sighed. She couldn't run to him about every niggling feeling she got-he had You-Know-who to worry about these days. The Dark Lord had been on the rise again-she'd been present one night at the beginning of the year, at a small victory feast at Hagrid's hut in honor of Harry becoming the Captain of the Gryffindor House Quidditch Team.  
  
Harry had been grinning over something Ron had just said, and he'd looked over across the room at her-and then his smile had faltered, and his hand had gone immediately up over his scar. Ron had pushed his friend into a chair, when Harry's eyes had squinted behind his glasses in pain.  
  
Ginny had known the Dark Lord was near.  
  
Since then, tension had been running high through out the school-most of their classes had been obscured by one, the most important of all- Defense Against The Dark Arts. Snape had taken over teaching the class that year, but seemed just as sour as ever.  
  
The time students spent in this class was doubled, the tests harder, the spells and charms growing ever more dangerous as the term went on. Ginny had realized one day, while sitting in the back of the class, watching the professor castigate a trembling Neville, that Snape wasn't just going through the motions; he wasn't trying to pick on them this year-he was trying to show them how to survive.  
  
Ginny rubbed her eyes and tried to quell the feeling of dread that had curled up inside her chest. For a moment she had the feeling that she had to stay there, that she was looking out for the entire school, and she had to remain there or something bad would happen-for a moment it felt as if she had the weight, the responsibility of protecting one of the most precious things in the world resting on her shoulders-and then it was gone.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she began pacing the battlements-she would wait a few more minutes, and then go back to the dorm-she stopped and frowned. Wait?  
  
Ginny crossed her arms-they had begun to shake. Her mind began to whirl-what was she waiting for?  
  
  
  
Harry was having a horrible dream-he couldn't remember what was happening from one moment to the next-everything was a dizzying, multi- colored mass, but it was shadowed by such a sense of evil, of sharp, persistent fear, that-Voldemort's face, his smooth white skin, slitted nostrils and violet eyes loomed up before him, and Harry felt an anger, and a fear so strong it almost overcame him-his scar was screaming in pain, and he reached up to touch it-  
  
Harry opened his eyes. The only sound in the silent room was his short, ragged gasps. He rolled over onto his back-and looked into the eyes of a grave Albus Dumbledore.  
  
Harry closed his eyes again briefly, and swallowed against the lump in his throat. His heart turned into a heavy, frigid chunk of ice in his chest. It was time.  
  
  
  
Ginny was slumping against the wall of the tower tiredly-she was getting cold, and sleepy-when a dim, moving light from the grounds below caught her eye-her heart jumped into her throat.  
  
Ginny rushed to the crenellations and looked over, her long red curls falling around her face as she scanned the area below.  
  
All at once, what was happening hit her with the force of a bolt of lightning-hot tears scalded her cold cheeks, and she had to put a trembling hand over her mouth to keep from crying out.  
  
Harry. Harry was walking below her, in the company of Albus Dumbledore, and Severus Snape, and the light she had seen was from Dumbledore's wand as he lit the way along the grassy slopes-to the mist shrouded edge of the Forbidden Forest.  
  
The small group looked to be in a hurry-that was the only thing that kept it from looking like an executor's procession, with Snape in his long, black hooded robes, and Harry, his head drooping tiredly toward his chest, following along behind. She noticed oddly enough, that he was wearing his scarlet Quidditch robes-they'd probably been the first thing he'd grabbed from his trunk.  
  
Ginny felt the windblast against her suddenly, and her heart began to thud painfully in her chest again, only at thrice the normal speed. She spun around in a rush of threadbare black robes and glossy red curls and ran through the tower room, and then down the tower steps, racing headlong down flight after flight of stairs, hardly knowing where she was going.  
  
She burst through the unusually silent portrait of the Fat Lady and took the stairs two at a time up to the seventh year boys dorm. She tip toed in, and put her cold hand over her brother's mouth-Ron's brown eyes opened wide, and he jerked, until he noticed it was she. She took her hand away and threw him his robes. She motioned at the door and then rushed of to wake Hermione-she didn't know why, but something was telling her Harry would need his closest friends-she just hoped they weren't too late.  
  
Part One  
  
King's Cross-First Term-Seventh Year  
  
Harry paused at the entrance to the platform nine and three quarters, nostalgia from the past years hitting him suddenly. He'd gotten to the station early to ensure he wouldn't run into anyone he knew- he just wasn't ready to listen to the questions about where he'd been all during the summer term, or why hadn't he called his friends to let them know he was all right. Chaos would be ensuing in the next few hours, and he'd need this time to get himself straight- God knew the summer term had been a complete nightmare.  
  
He took a brief look around, to see if any of the people in the station were looking, and he slipped through the wall into a brief darkness, before the world lighted itself again and he was standing on the platform looking at the Hogwart's Express once again. Steam poured from the engine across the platform as he watched- any other time it would have been a welcome sight- Hogwart's School had been his home since he'd turned eleven, and the Dursley's on Privet Drive- well, that had been something far different.  
  
Harry narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of a tall, pale, blond haired boy standing among the crowd of Hogwart's students, and he moved forward, freeing Hedwig from her cage to settle on his shoulder-she wasn't often in it anymore, but to keep the muggles off his back while he traveled.  
  
Several first years were crowded around Draco Malfoy, and as Harry approached, he couldn't help but roll his eyes as he heard his enemy bragging about what he'd done over the summer, brandishing an assortment of rare magical objects.  
  
He looked up, ice blue eyes meeting Harry's as he passed, an ever- present smirk playing about his lips. Harry could just see the gears in his mind working overtime- Crabbe and Goyle hovered nearby, their heavy brows lowered in menacing frowns as they watched Harry walk by. They had grown even larger over the summer, if that was possible.  
  
Harry arched a brow behind his glasses; his green eyes meeting theirs steadily in turn. He was surprised when they let him pass without comment- Malfoy usually had one nasty remark or another to make whenever he saw him.  
  
As always, the first years that managed to make out his scar behind the shaggy black bangs were gathering and whispering excitedly as he walked by. Why shouldn't they be, he thought grimly, I'm " the 'boy' that lived".  
  
Dropping off his trunk, he made his way onto the train, finding an empty compartment at the back and settling in a corner. He took off his glasses-they were just for show now, anyway, weren't they? –And rubbed a hand across his eyes. He was tired, but there'd be no rest until late that evening. Ron and Ginny and Hermione were going to show at any moment and the hurtful stares and angry accusations would no doubt begin.  
  
He opened the window, settling back against the cushions and closing his eyes, grateful for the cool breeze that appeared, brushing against his face. And then it happened, Ginny's sweet, delicate face appearing in the darkness, her hazel eyes tearful as they made their goodbye's at the rainy train station platform. The memory always managed to pop up just as he closed his eyes, nagging at him, reminding him of all he'd lost…and what he had yet to lose…  
  
Hedwig, sensing his troubled thoughts, hooted softly from her perch on his shoulder, nipping his ear gently.  
  
Harry smiled slightly, opening his eyes to look at her snowy feathers, raising a hand to smooth down her back.  
  
She blinked at him, and then hooted again, hopping from his shoulder to look out the window.  
  
"You can go," he said softly, opening the window wider. "I don't like being cooped up in here any more than you do- go on. I'll see you at Hogwarts."  
  
Hedwig looked grateful, and she fluttered off, circling overhead before moving off, out of sight.  
  
At that moment he heard a familiar voice shout something unintelligible and then footsteps pounding down the car toward him. Harry sighed and pushed his glasses back on, absently rubbing the scar on his forehead.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
He tried to smile at his best friend. "Hey, Ron."  
  
Ron Weasley's fair skin looked flushed, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "I could almost hug you, you know. But I won't."  
  
Harry watched him, amused. "Thanks for the reassurance."  
  
"Look at you, now!" Ron threw himself into the seat across from Harry, sounding breathless. "Sitting there, cool as a cucumber when we've all been racing around like mad trying to find out if you were ali- I mean, all right." He ran a hand through his mussed red hair, scratching his head absently.  
  
Harry could see the telltale shadows under his friends' eyes, and felt regret that he'd caused it.  
  
"I'm sorry. I…got lost."  
  
Ron stared at him, his hand falling into his lap. "I'm sorry, did you just say you got 'lost'?"  
  
Before Harry could answer, a female screech sounded, and he found himself being attacked by a bushy haired teen in flowing black robes.  
  
"Hermione, he's got to breathe someday," Ron finally announced dryly a few moments later, pulling her arms from around Harry's neck.  
  
Hermione Granger settled herself in the seat next to Ron, pulling her brown hair from her eyes, practically bouncing in her seat. "God, Harry, we thought you were-"  
  
"Hermione-" Ron said warningly.  
  
"-Dead!"  
  
Ron rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. "You're a complete stranger to tact, aren't you, woman?"  
  
Hermione cut her eyes at him, kicking his leg.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
Harry found himself grinning at them, and he almost felt like his old self again. Except he'd never be his old self again…  
  
"Where have you been?" Hermione demanded her chin thrust out. "I swear, Ron's Mum almost had an apoplexy- and Ginny, she-" She cut herself off, looking surreptuously under her lashes at Ron.  
  
Guilt beat away Harry's sudden good mood. It was hard for him not to feel disappointed. He took a deep breath, itching to remove his glasses again. "I got lost."  
  
Hermione pursed her full pink lips, her small hands fisting in her robes. "That's not funny."  
  
Harry met her gaze unwaveringly. "It wasn't meant to be."  
  
Harry met her gaze unwaveringly. "It wasn't meant to be."  
  
The look he gave her was devoid of any humor, and Hermione's eyes wavered.  
  
Harry looked different- she noticed the boyish curves of his chin and cheeks had hardened, and he'd gotten taller as well, his lanky frame filling out subtly, at the chest and shoulders. He'd grown into his cast- off hand me-downs a bit, and though they were still far too large, he didn't look anywhere near as lost in the folds of cloth as he'd used to. But what bothered her was the menacing undertone in his deepening voice, the hard set to his jaw and the cold iciness of his green eyes- they looked like a pair of reptilian snake eyes. She fought a shiver, blinking as she finally broke eye contact with him. Something dreadful had happened to him, she knew it.  
  
Hermione looked at Ron to see if he'd gotten the feeling that something was wrong, and he looked back at her, shrugging. His stomach growled loudly and Harry laughed, breaking the tension, and Ron grinned, rubbing his abdomen. Hermione snorted, and rolled her sherry colored brown eyes, sitting back against the seat cushions. Ron's hand crept closer to hers and she took it fondly, melting inside just a little when he winked at her and rubbed his thumb along her palm.  
  
"Some thing's never change," she drawled dryly, eased, but her mind was still very troubled. She was going to get to the bottom of Harry's disappearance, see if she didn't.  
  
"Did you have to clean out the candy cart, again Harry?" Hermione asked some time later, amusement in her voice as she watched Ron wolf down yet another chocolate frog. "You'd think you'd have outgrown those by now."  
  
Ron looked at her in horror, a smudge of melted chocolate on his chin. "Are you insane woman? How could you outgrow any of this?" He motioned to the mass of foil and packages lying on the cushions, and in his lap. "Hey, my Dad still eats Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans."  
  
Hermione made a face and eyed a box of Fizzing Whizbees. "At least it's not Fred and George's Canary Crème's. I still caught poor Neville chirping in his sleep when he nodded off in Potions last year."  
  
"Hey, they said they got all the bugs out, finally," he said defensively. "They're starting production in three months," Ron crowed proudly, the dimple in his cheek showing as he grinned widely. "'Course Mum and Dad said they didn't send 'em to school all them years for them to open a Joke Shop and Novelty company." He shrugged. "You can tell they aren't disappointed in the least, though. "  
  
Harry seemed impressed. " They're really doing well for themselves." He gathered up his trash and dropped it into the bin under the seat. "I'm going to miss them during all those Quidditch games this season."  
  
"Guess we better change into our robes, eh Ron?"  
  
They both looked at Hermione, who was already fully dressed. Ron looked back at Harry, as if to say, big surprise.  
  
"What?" Hermione gave them a wide white smile. "Don't let me keep you."  
  
Harry and Ron looked at each other. Finally Ron shrugged again, and grabbed a squealing Hermione up in arms, kissing her soundly on the lips before leaving her outside the compartment doors, looking dazed.  
  
"She's wicked, that one," Ron said impishly, throwing a thumb over his shoulder at the door. "What can I say? She loves me."  
  
Harry pulled his robes from his bag and shook his head. "And to think you once said she couldn't keep her priorities straight."  
  
Ron chuckled and then was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Yeah, what is it?"  
  
Hermione's voice sounded on the other side. "Did you know you have chocolate on your chin?"  
  
He frowned, rubbing it. He looked at his fingers. "No I don't."  
  
"That's because it rubbed off on me!" There was the noise of the doorframe being kicked and then grumbling as she moved off down the corridor.  
  
Harry laughed, watching Ron's face turn red as the students from at least two or three of the other compartments made kissing noises, ohhed, and ahhed, shouting rude comments for several minutes.  
  
After they dressed, Harry watched as Ron went off to talk to his girlfriend, and he settled back in his seat, closing his eyes as he felt the approach to Hogwarts. A piece of him always stayed behind when he left, and when he returned in the fall, it always came back- he couldn't explain it, he just knew it was gone. But he'd left another part of him there as well last year, and he couldn't help wondering if he'd ever get that part back. It was his heart- and it was still in his little Ginny's hands.  
  
  
  
"What? How can you not be upset with him? Not even just a little upset? He practically dumped Ginny! He didn't tell us if he was okay-or even if he was alive!"  
  
Ron clamped a hand over Hermione's mouth as her voice rose. "You think you can say it a little louder, Herm? I don't think the people in China heard you!" He hissed, his red brows drawn together.  
  
Hermione pulled his hand from her lips, glaring at him.  
  
Ron sighed and scooted closer to her, taking both of her hands in his. "Of course I'm upset. But God only knows what he went through this summer, Herm. I don't want to scare up old memories, you know. He'll talk when he's ready."  
  
She slitted her eyes and he groaned, throwing his head back against his seat. "Don't look at me like that!"  
  
"What about Ginny? He made her absolutely miserable! Do you have any idea-" she cut herself off, looking at him intently. She studied him and then made a gasping sound, pulling her hands from his as she stood to pace the small compartment. "You don't want them to be together, do you?"  
  
He blushed guiltily, all the while denying it.  
  
"It's true, isn't it?"  
  
"No-"  
  
"Ron."  
  
"Oh all right! It's just too weird, ok?" He looked at her miserably. "She's my little baby sister for God's sake!"  
  
Hermione shook her head. "She loves him, Ron." She said softly.  
  
"Yeah, well…she's too young to be loving anybody. It's just a crush. She's a kid. Practically a baby."  
  
"Harry needs her, Ron." Her brown eyes searched his. "And you know she'll never be happy without him."  
  
He looked away from her after a long moment, and then sighed. "Yeah, he does." His face brightened suddenly. "Hey, if they ever get hitched I could really call Harry my brother!"  
  
Hermione reached out and hugged him tightly. "Let's just settle for getting them back together again for now."  
  
  
  
Harry had dozed off, and was dreaming, not really conscious of anything that was happening, only knowing that he was dreaming of something bad, evil- "Voldemort," he heard himself whisper, waking slowly as he felt the train slow, the scar on his forehead burning like mad. His breathing was fast and uneven, and he frowned trying to remember his dream-it was important he remember-his eyes snapped open as something touched his cheek.  
  
He had his wand drawn and ready, a fierce, angry scowl on his face, as he leapt up into a defensive stance- and then he realized that it was Ginny.  
  
She looked startled, her soft brown eyes wide and petrified as she clutched her chest through her black school robes.  
  
Harry blinked, barely recognizing her through the red haze that had sprung up over his eyes. His arm dropped, and he looked at her in relief, his breathing ragged, chest heaving.  
  
Ginny stared at him. "My God, you almost scared me to death!"  
  
He looked up at the ceiling, dropping his head back on his shoulders. "I-I'm sorry," he breathed huskily. "I… I was having a bad dream I think. I didn't mean to frighten you."  
  
"Oh, God, Harry, thank goodness you're back!"  
  
Harry found himself knocked back into his seat by the force of her embrace, and she climbed right onto his lap, arms locking around his neck. "You had us so worried- I thought I'd never see you again, that you-know- who had-"  
  
Half asleep still, and unable to follow her flood of words, he slid his hands around her shoulders and pulled her up to face him. "I missed you, too." He kissed her softly, first on the cheek and then on her soft pink lips, causing her to go abruptly silent.  
  
After a long moment she pulled back, holding his face between her palms. Her eyes studied him, her thumbs brushing along his jaw. She looked shy suddenly. "You- look different." She tilted her head, touching the lightning shaped scar on his forehead beneath the brush of untidy bangs. "Older."  
  
Harry traced her features, noting the sadness in hers. His voice was soft as he murmured, "I can't stay "the 'boy' that lived" for forever, Ginny."  
  
He felt her heart banging hard against his chest, even through the thick layers of fabric that separated them.  
  
"Where were you, Harry?" She asked softly.  
  
Ginny tried to stave off light-headed giddiness she felt at finally being with Harry- her heart felt so full it might burst.  
  
She felt her grin fade though, when she took a real look at him- he had changed, just like Hermione had warned. It was unsettling, the difference in the shy, blushing boy with the twinkling green eyes she'd kissed and left so reluctantly at King's Cross four months ago, and the taller, more mature looking young man setting before her, his eyes so cold, so icy a green that they had chilled her to the bone when he'd first looked her so threateningly. Now…he looked so very haunted. He looked so tired and alone. She wanted to hold him, reassure him, and protect him from everything. And everyone.  
  
Now, as she asked him where he'd been all those months, his face had become shuttered. After a moment he raised his hand and pulled his glasses off, rubbing his red eyes. Ginny waited patiently, concerned, and just when he looked back at her, his eyes strangely focused without his glasses, a loud knock sounded, and Draco Malfoy threw open the door, looking irritated.  
  
"C'mon. The bloody gamekeeper told me to tell you the train has stopped. Everyone's got off by now, Potter-don't want to be late to the sorting ceremony, eh?" His sharp eyes took in Ginny who still sat on Harry's lap, and he grinned, showing sharp white teeth. "Hey, I always knew you had a limited following, but couldn't you do better than a Weasley, Potter."  
  
Harry ground his teeth at the rude intrusion, his hard, cold eyes promising payback as he glared back at Malfoy. "Get lost, Malfoy, or you know what'll happen." He whispered this warningly. And not even Crabbe and Goyle will be able to help you…  
  
Draco's face paled slightly, almost as if he'd heard the thought, and with a narrow eyed look of dislike he disappeared from the doorway.  
  
Ginny sighed and got off Harry's lap, running a hand through the hair on the side of his head above his ear, in a failed attempt to neaten it before moving away to the door.  
  
"Come on, Harry. We'll ride up to the castle together." She held out her hand and smiled when he stood and took it. She squeezed it comfortingly as they made their way off the train, finding Ron and Hermione waiting in a carriage, having saved some space for the two of them.  
  
Harry waved across to Hagrid, who herding the first years along. Hagrid gave him a huge grin and waved back.  
  
Ron's face looked a bit thunderous when they entered and sat down, the carriage making it's way up to the school.  
  
"What took you so bloody long?" He demanded, looking at them suspiciously.  
  
"We've been waiting for like, ten minutes!"  
  
Ginny looked at him impatiently. "Not any of your business, Ron."  
  
Ron's face looked ready to explode. "Not any- Ginny, your-"  
  
"Leave it, Ron." Harry said almost boredly, looking out the window as they made their way.  
  
Something in Harry's voice made him shut his mouth reluctantly, and he huffed, settling back onto the cushions.  
  
  
  
Something in Harry's heart lifted a bit when he stepped down from the carriage, looking around the entrance to the school. Torches burned on the walls, turning everything golden, but still not quite banishing the darkness. Harry found that it suited him just then, for he was feeling just that- not good, but not quite dark either.  
  
He turned to help Ginny and Hermione down, pretending not to see the dark scowl on Ron's face as he jumped down next to them.  
  
They joined the flow of black robed students entering the entrance hall, and Harry tried to memorize everything he saw and felt as he passed through into the Great Hall.  
  
The warm, cavernous ambience of the Hall with it's enchanted cathedral ceiling-it was showing the cloudless, starry night from outside- and it's hundreds of floating, lit candles, and the misty forms of the House Ghosts, it never ceased to awe Harry. The sad reminder that this was his last year at Hogwarts lingered there at the back of his mind, unwelcome.  
  
They took their seats at the Gryffindor table, and Ginny sat next to him, Ron and Hermione across.  
  
Harry watched McGonagall sort the first years, applauding with everyone else when a new student was sorted into Gryffindor house, but his eyes were on Dumbledore or Snape most of the time, and he was thinking troubled thoughts. Had Sirius been right? Snape looked as unfriendly and unapproachable as ever. He was supposed to have a huge hand in all of this-  
  
His eyes looked to Dumbledore as he stood-the Sorting was over. Harry watched McGonagall walk past with the stool and the Sorting Hat with a kind of dark amusement. Well, at last, he now understood why the Hat had wanted to put him in Slytherin his first year. The Hat seemed to know this, and it actually looked at him-He could have sworn it'd just winked at him. Harry watched Professor McGonagall disappear with the Hat and stool, and then looked back up to Dumbledore.  
  
The old wizard was smiling at him, his faded blue eyes twinkling; to Harry, and he looked like he'd aged fifty years since the summer began. Harry's smile was pitiful in return.  
  
He made the usual announcements, and then his face turned serious. "I guess all of you know by now, that Voldemort has been on the rise again." His eyes swept over the paling faces of the students "Just know, that Hogwarts has been fully secured against any evil intruders-and Hogsmeade as well. You are safer here inside these walls, than anywhere that's why you're parents sent you. So, do not be afraid, work hard, and to quote an old friend of mine, 'practice constant vigilance'! I am available, as are the rest of the teachers, to talk to, if any of you ever have the need." Dumbledore looked at Harry, smiled again, and the mood was lightened. "Now, I believe we have a magnificent Feast to attend to-enjoy!" He clapped his hands, and the tables were instantly filled with loads of food.  
  
Harry nodded slightly at Dumbledore, and then felt a smile break out onto his lips as he heard the first years exclaim over the feast. He almost wished it were his first year again-he'd been blissfully ignorant then, for a time at least. Now the weight of the world was on his shoulders-  
  
"Harry?"  
  
Harry looked across at Ron. "Sorry?"  
  
Ron rolled his eyes, his freckled cheeks already full. "I asked why you weren't eating." He chewed and swallowed, and then shook his head. "You're just not all here, are you?"  
  
"Leave him alone, Ron." Ginny said quietly, at his side.  
  
Harry made himself reach for the serving dishes. "Er, sorry about that. I was just thinking about Potions class-Snape looks like he swallowed a gallon of lemon juice."  
  
"When doesn't he?" Ron asked dryly, spearing a baked potato.  
  
Dinner was a subdued affair-Ron was watching Harry closely; Ginny was feeling bad that Harry wouldn't talk to her; Hermione was quiet because Harry was quiet. Harry was sorry, but he didn't have much that he could talk about other than Quidditch and classes, and he hadn't been…available to read the newspapers.  
  
He wanted to tell his friends everything that had happened over the summer break, everything he'd gone through, everything he'd faced and felt and seen-but he couldn't-not yet anyway. It weighed heavily on him, keeping secrets from his best friends who'd seen him through so much. He poked at his dinner disinterestedly.  
  
When it came time for them to go up to bed, Hermione, being a Prefect, and Head Girl, gathered the first year Gryffindor's up and led them from the hall. Harry, Ginny and Ron followed behind with the others.  
  
Ginny squeezed his hand when they reached the common room, and Harry had no time to squeeze back as she smiled and walked away with a hasty, softly murmured goodnight. He watched her climb the stairs, and then disappear into the Girls dorms.  
  
Ron didn't seem in any big hurry to go to bed-he fell into an overstuffed chair by the chess set-the red and white pieces waved up at him in greeting. He grinned and looked over at Harry. "Fancy a game, Harry?"  
  
Harry was feeling desperately tired, and knew he was expected in Dumbledore's office soon-but there was no way he could disappoint his friend. "Sure, why not?"  
  
Harry loosened the tie at his throat, and tugged off his black robes, throwing them over a chair. He took the seat across from Ron and took a deep breath, willing himself to wake up.  
  
Ron was grinning at him madly.  
  
Harry couldn't help but laugh.  
  
Twenty minutes later, Harry's king got decapitated by Ron's seemingly bloodthirsty Queen-she was waving a scepter around threateningly, making all the pieces left cower.  
  
Harry grinned and shook his head as he pushed back from the chessboard. "I don't know why I bother-you always win."  
  
Ron looked at him proudly. "Yeah-it's the one thing I'm good at."  
  
"One thing? What are you talking about? Hermione doesn't seem to be complaining-  
  
Ron flushed red to the tips of his ears and Harry laughed out loud.  
  
They made their way up to the Dorm's and before they entered, Ron surprised Harry by turning and saying, "I'm glad you're all right. I was worried about you."  
  
Harry nodded. "Thanks…I know." He smiled and Ron turned the doorknob, and they both walked into the seventh year boy's dorm.  
  
Harry only had to wait a few minutes until Ron was asleep, and he grabbed his Invisibility cloak from his trunk, and crept out of the tower  
  
Albus Dumbledore was staring into his Pensieve when Harry arrived.  
  
"Hello, Professor." Harry said quietly.  
  
Albus looked up. "Ah, hello, Harry. It's good to see you."  
  
Harry looked over to Fawkes cage-it was empty. "Is-er, is Fawkes okay?"  
  
'Oh, yes, of course, Fawkes." The wizard's eyes twinkled. "He likes to travel a bit sometimes. He's in Egypt, now, I believe."  
  
Harry stared at him and then sat in the chair before his desk. The cheerily untidy room smelled soothingly of lemon drops and peppermints. He relaxed for the first time since he'd gotten off the train.  
  
Albus put his Pensieve aside and leaned forward on his desk, clasping his gnarled hands. His blue eyes studied Harry over his half-glasses.  
  
The nervous, skinny boy he remembered from six years ago was gone-the young man who sat before him was burdened, heavily so, hardened by life and experience-he was wise to the evils of the world, and Albus was sorry to see it. The dark circles under Harry's eyes told of countless sleepless nights, while the green eyes themselves held innumerable dark secrets, and a certain negligent confidence Albus knew stemmed from the new power residing inside-a power that came only from one source-Dark Magic.  
  
Harry tried not to squirm uncomfortably in front of the headmaster-he had nothing to feel guilty about-s why was he?  
  
"Well-you know what is happening," the professor finally commented.  
  
"Yes, Professor." Harry felt his scar twitch sharply, and blinked, trying to ignore it.  
  
"And you understand what will happen? What your part in all of this is?"  
  
"Yes…Professor," Harry gasped out, eyes watering as the burning pain in his scar intensified. He blinked, feeling tears roll down his cheeks, despite his best efforts. Harry gave up and pulled off the annoying glasses, ducking his head and grinding his palm against the pain in his forehead.  
  
"He's near."  
  
Harry nodded, saying nothing.  
  
Albus sighed. "He won't try anything just now-it will be several months, I believe, before he reaches his full power again. He's learned by now not to bother trying to raise to power while he's weak. We have…time to prepare." He sighed heavily.  
  
Harry looked up at Dumbledore with sharp green eyes. "I have learned everything I could- what else can I do?"  
  
Albus smiled sadly. "We have to prepare ourselves for the worst, Harry. For every possible eventuality."  
  
Harry fell back against his chair, a grim look on his face. "Namely, Death."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "I am unafraid-I am old, I have seen everything there is to see, Harry, and like Fawkes I am ready to move on, to be re- born." He looked at Harry.  
  
"You must prepare yourself."  
  
"You make it sound like I'm going to die." Harry laughed a little nervously, thinking of Professor Trelawney, and her dire predictions of death.  
  
"Voldemort must not be allowed to rise to power, Harry. Or the number of humans, wizards and muggles alike, who are likely to die, will be great; so very, very great. We must do everything and anything to stop him, once and for all."  
  
Harry had rarely seen Dumbledore so serious. He nodded. "I understand, Professor." A thin finger of ice was growing along his spine.  
  
The headmaster nodded. "All right then. You may go."  
  
Harry stood gratefully, eager to try and sleep, to get away from the torrent of thoughts and emotions assailing him.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
He turned back. Dumbledore held out a small package. He smiled gently. "This will help you to sleep."  
  
Harry accepted the package, and seeing that it was a chocolate frog, he felt himself grin. "Thank you, Sir."  
  
Albus watched Harry leave with troubled eyes. He wished he could shield the young man from the evils of the world-so much, that boy had on his shoulders, so much. He sighed and looked back into his Pensieve, smiling when he saw memories of a happier, more carefree time.  
  
Harry nibbled the chocolate frog as he made his way to the tower. There was no way to prepare oneself for death, he thought, and he'd faced it so many times already.  
  
He crawled through the portrait of the Fat Lady, who was looking about confusedly for whoever had said the password.  
  
Harry crawled into his bed minutes later, thinking longingly of Ginny's loving, warm embrace, as he often had over the nightmarish summer, and thankfully, felt himself drift off to a peaceful sleep.  
  
Malfoy was furious enough to use a killing curse, Harry thought idly, looking at the seething boy in front of him. He shook his head. It was the perfect end to a less than perfect week. It had been two months since his arrival at school and nothing but trouble had plagued him since.  
  
Minutes earlier, Harry had come out of Potions, and seen Ginny passing. He'd stopped to talk to her, and Malfoy, who'd been right behind him, had bumped right into his back. Insults were thrown, fists were clenched, and through it all Harry had remained coldly unmoved. It had only served to anger Malfoy more. He'd started in on Ginny, and Ron had stepped forward furiously-but not before Harry had belted Malfoy in the jaw, and then in the nose. The silver haired Slytherin had turned on Harry with a vengeance, making everyone gasp and back away as his wand fairly crackled with Dark Magic.  
  
Harry wondered curiously where Snape was.  
  
He watched impassively as the bloodied Malfoy raised his wand and yelled angrily- "Incendio!"  
  
Everyone around them gasped, and Ron was shouting, "No!"  
  
Scarlet flames rose high around Harry, engulfing him and obscuring him from sight.  
  
The flames roared and shifted and everyone crowded around looked at Malfoy with utter shock on their faces; even Malfoy looked surprised at the ferocity of his attack.  
  
Ginny was clutching Hermione- she knew if she loosened her hold she'd hit the floor. "Harry!" The heat against her skin was intense- like standing before a blast furnace. There was no way Harry could live through that.  
  
Everyone started shouting and moving back as the scarlet flames suddenly started to funnel, rushing upwards to the high cathedral ceilings. A shrieking wind rose, blowing the flames away, green smoke rising and making the air murky and impossible to see through.  
  
"Malfoy!" Ron was coughing, choking on the noxious green fumes. "Knock it off!"  
  
"I'm not doing this!" Malfoy's voice sounded strangled.  
  
There was a sudden, cleansing gust of breeze as Hermione shouted, 'Blusterium!"  
  
As the air cleared, there was a loud gasp, and an overall sound of exclamation and awe as the last bit of green smoke evaporated.  
  
Harry stood in the exact same spot, looking as if the flames hadn't even touched him. Ginny had to sit on the floor, her legs having become like jelly.  
  
As Malfoy squinted, his eyes streaming from the smoke, he looked at Harry disbelievingly.  
  
Harry smirked, crossing his arms. "You done blowing smoke yet, Malfoy?"  
  
Draco blinked, a queer tingle running down his spine as he saw the frosty green gaze of Harry Potter leveled on him. It was impossible-true, he'd had no intention of using such a deadly curse on Potter, but it should have leveled him…"You should be a pile of ashes," he couldn't help breathing, his eyes disbelieving. There'd been no time for Potter to mutter a counter spell; it was impossible-"You should be…"  
  
"Dead?" Harry took several lazy steps forward, until he stood almost nose-to-nose with him. "Pity, isn't it? It'd probably have been better for several of us all around if I were." He leaned close to Draco's ear. His voice was low and flat as he said, " Do us both a favor? Try harder."  
  
Draco felt his blood run cold, and he stared at him, taking a stumbling step back. "You're mad. You're bloody mad!"  
  
Harry felt disappointed as he watched Draco Malfoy rush off, Crabbe and Goyle hard on his heels. He'd thought Malfoy would have had more steel in his spine. That load about death had done the trick-he doubted Malfoy would ever come near him again. He'd seen the fear in his eyes.  
  
Ron, Hermione and Ginny rushed forward as the dumb struck crowd of students murmured excitedly, beginning to at last melt away.  
  
"That was bloody brilliant!" Ron exclaimed, his brown eyes wide. "How'd you do it?"  
  
"I thought you were gone." Ginny whispered, eyeing him warily.  
  
Harry sighed inwardly. Of course he'd scared poor Ginny senseless. He pushed his glasses up on his nose and tried to smile at her gently. "I'm sorry." He touched a finger to her chin and said, "Forgive me?"  
  
She blushed and Harry saw Ron frown out of the corner of his eye. He dropped his hand and turned away, rolling up his robe sleeves as he walked.  
  
"Where are you going?" Hermione asked as they walked with him.  
  
"Quidditch practice," Harry said with a sigh in his voice. "First game is next Saturday. I'm the Team Captain this year, remember?"  
  
"We'll come with," Hermione said, linking her arm through his.  
  
"Yeah, like there hasn't been enough excitement already today," Ron was muttering to Ginny behind them.  
  
Later, long after practice and everyone had gone in to dinner, Harry stayed out on the Quidditch Pitch, flying high in the air above the field. Flying was the one thing that gave him any kind of thrill any more, and though he knew he had homework waiting, he stayed out among the cool evening breezes, savoring his privacy. It was a rare thing, that.  
  
His eyes kept straying to the dark outline of the forbidden forest against the purple twilight sky. Voldemort was there again, he knew. His scar had been throbbing meanly for days. He was tired of the chase- he had stopped fearing the crusty old bastard months ago. It seemed death was just inevitable-he'd given up fearing that too. How could he have a life with it following him about like a mangy stray dog?  
  
"C'mon Voldemort, what are you waiting for?" He found himself whispering to the fog rolling in around the forest floor. "You know, don't you? You know what happened to me." A chilling smile curved one side of his lips. "You know, and it frightens you."  
  
As if in answer, a werewolf began its mournful howl deep in the forest.  
  
Harry blinked, and regretfully flew back up to the old castle, landing effortlessly in a courtyard and taking a deep breath as he brought the broom up on his shoulder, entered the Great Hall.  
  
A few students straggled about at the long tables here and there, and Harry took a seat near to Ron and Hermione, who were dawdling over their dessert.  
  
"Where's Ginny?" Harry asked with a frown.  
  
Hermione sighed, her chin on her hand. "She was worn out from today- I think the shock of seeing you go up in flames was too much for her. She was going up to bed."  
  
Harry's hand hesitated over a platter of savory looking roast beef and potatoes before he served himself, saying conversationally, "Well, I don't blame her. It's been a bad day all around, hasn't it?"  
  
"You still haven't told us how you warded off that curse," Ron said rather accusatorily. " Malfoy should have been carted off by the Dementors by now."  
  
"Ron," Hermione groaned, brushing her hair out of her eyes.  
  
Harry looked across the table at Ron, his eyes meeting his steadily. "I didn't."  
  
"What?" Both pairs of brown eyes stared at him.  
  
Harry took a bite of his food, swallowing before he shrugged, "I didn't. Malfoy must have fouled up the curse somehow."  
  
They stared at him, Ron finally laughing out loud. "Oh, man. And I thought- well, you should have seen the look on his face earlier-he was acting all twitchy and scared, like you were going to pop up behind him and turn him into a toad or something."  
  
"Sorry I missed it," Harry said, amused, and meant it. Draco Malfoy had been a pain in the backside for years.  
  
Hermione was looking at him suspiciously, he knew, but he ignored it, throwing himself into conversation instead with Ron about his favorite Quidditch team, The Chudley Cannons.  
  
(Argh. Can I say it again? Arrrrgh. They say writers are their own worst critic. Hmmm. Thanks for the reviews, people-keep em coming! I love you all! Now I think I should sleep-hmmm, I highly suspect I'll be dreaming of Golden Snitches-wonder why? ::Snores:: I'll post another chapter very soon! Thanks!) 


	2. 2. The Mark

Harry Potter-Dark Wizard?  
  
Author: Lee Velviet  
  
E-Mail: Vampslay@Bellsouth.net  
  
Disclaimer: You know who this stuff belongs to-J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., etc-I own absolutely nothing! ::Sob::  
  
Summary: This was supposed to be my great epic-my sweeping HP saga- right. I couldn't even think of a good title. ::Sighs in disgust:: Anyway, Harry gets lost the summer after his sixth year while on a kind of quest with Sirius Black-he returns to Hogwarts older, darker, wiser, and more powerful, after acquiring a piece of his destiny, the ancient, omnipotent powers of the Order Of The Phoenix. But it comes with a price-though he may be able to at last defeat Voldemort for good, it seems all too possible he may be setting himself up to be the greatest dark wizard ever.  
  
(Ok, Lameness abounds-read on, true believers, and let me know what you think! Reviews would rock, flames are welcome, but constructive criticism would be better! As always, please let me know if I get facts wrong! Thanks for reading!) (Hope this chapter answers a few questions! ^-^)  
  
  
  
2. The Mark  
  
"Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery." –Albus Dumbledore, The Goblet Of Fire, J.K. Rowling  
  
  
  
Harry didn't know how they got there, or really why he was there all he knew was that Sirius had said he must come-and he'd do anything for his Godfather. Harry looked around the nearly pitch dark, ancient looking room- this was way better than spending the summer with the Dursley's.  
  
Sirius moved to stand before an unremarkable looking statue so old it's features had been nearly worn smooth.  
  
"Where are we, Sirius?" Harry thought it looked a lot like the setting of an old Muggle movie he'd seen as a child, with it's dark, warm colored stone, piles of dust and rubble everywhere-it smelled old.  
  
Sirius looked back over his shoulder at Harry, flinging his hair from his eyes.  
  
He looked almost regretful. It scared Harry suddenly.  
  
"Be careful, Harry. I love you."  
  
"What? What are you-ahhhhhhhh!" Harry yelped as Sirius twisted a hand of the statue and with a great, grinding shift, the portion of the floor Harry stood on fell away, and he shot down into blackness.  
  
Harry hit a hard, cold surface with a hard thud. It jarred him so hard he could taste blood in his mouth as he accidentally bit his tongue.  
  
He groaned, taking a deep breath before pushing to his feet.  
  
The light here was gray-and it was cold. Harry could only see a few feet in front of him-he looked around, but couldn't find the source of the dim light.  
  
"Sirius?" His voice echoed loudly. He figured he must be in a very large room.  
  
There was a sudden flare-Harry jumped and twisted towards the sound, feeling very vulnerable.  
  
A torch lit in the distance, then another, and another, and so on, until Harry saw that he stood in the center of a huge, cavernous room at least ten times the size of the great hall at Hogwarts.  
  
The walls were made of the same golden brown stone he'd seen in the room with Sirius. The ceiling was so high he couldn't make it out.  
  
"Sirius!" Harry detected a hint of panic in his voice and took a deep breath.  
  
"Your Guardian is safe."  
  
The voice made up of many voices made Harry turn in circles, but he could see no one. "Who are you? Where am I?"  
  
"It doesn't matter where you are, Harry Potter-what matters is who you are-inside."  
  
Harry shook his head, fervently wishing he had his wand. "I-don't understand-"  
  
"Voldemort will rise soon-he will be unstoppable, nearly invincible."  
  
A cold chill ran down Harry's spine. He squinted through his glasses into the dimness. "Have I been brought here for a reason? I already know he's trying to kill me." He couldn't keep the impatience from his voice. He was tired of the vagueness of it all.  
  
The voice chuckled. "You have spirit-it is good to see the Muggles you live with did not break it. You shall need it for the journey ahead."  
  
"What journey? Where are we going?"  
  
"You are going on a journey, Mr. Potter. You see-you are in the lair of the Order Of The Phoenix-an ancient class of powerful witches and wizards who oversee and protect the natural order of things-and the time has come for us to lend our support. Lord Voldemort has become a very real threat-"  
  
"Now! You offer your support now!" Rage rose in Harry's chest. "Where were you when he rose to power over a decade ago-wasn't he a real enough threat back then? Where was your support when he murdered my parents?"  
  
"Destiny. Our time is now. The past is over."  
  
Harry clenched his fists, furious. "Not for me it isn't."  
  
"Enough. You have been chosen."  
  
"Chosen?" Harry pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Chosen to die? Thanks, but no thanks!"  
  
"You have been chosen to wield the powers of the Order-the Order Of The Phoenix. You have been chosen to become the Champion of The Light."  
  
Harry felt as if he were standing on the edge of a cliff, watching the bridge to reality crumble before him.  
  
"It is your destiny."  
  
"You must pass the challenge before you can be deemed worthy enough to receive the powers."  
  
This didn't bode well to Harry. "What kind of challenge?" He demanded, suddenly feeling very worn. He really wasn't up to this-  
  
"You must overcome your fears, Harry Potter. You must face them, in the Maze of Dreams-if you prove your courage, and do not get lost for forever, at the end of it, you will receive the Mark Of The Phoenix-and the omnipotent powers that come with it. With our powers, you will defeat the dark lord."  
  
"Maze? Lost? Forever?" Harry almost fell to his knees as he felt the weight of the world fall onto his unprepared shoulders. I'm just a kid he wanted to yell. I don't want this! Why me?  
  
"You must go now, Harry Potter. The time is short-like the phoenix, we are reborn every thousand years-you must be present to ascend."  
  
"A-Ascend?" Harry swallowed hard, feeling queasy. He'd been present at the rebirth of Dumbledore's Phoenix, Fawkes. If bursting into flames was included in this Ascension, Harry would really rather not be present.  
  
"Don't I have any say in this?" He said this rather weakly, already knowing the answer.  
  
"You may proceed."  
  
Harry took several steps back as the room began to rumble and shake- the floor began to break apart-great walls began to rise from the dark crevasses, and he watched in awe as they grew around him, so high he couldn't make out the tops.  
  
At last all was quiet again, and Harry was surrounded by dismal looking gray stone walls-every so many feet, a blue flame burned on a torch high up on the walls.  
  
Harry sighed, and took off his glasses, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He cleaned the lenses on the ragged, worn hem of his shirt and replaced them on his nose. With a resigned straightening of his shoulders, he began to move forward, not knowing what might lie ahead. He turned the first corner and was presented with two options-two corridors lead off to the right and left. He hesitated, and took the right one, wondering irritably when and if Fate would finally decide to stop dragging him around by his nuts.  
  
  
  
"You have passed the challenge, Harry Potter. You may come forward to ascend, and receive the Mark."  
  
Harry looked up from where he had collapsed on the floor of the cavernous hall with a dark sneer. He looked around jerkily- the seemingly endless Maze and its horrors had disappeared. It would have been kinder to have sent him to Hell-the endless time he'd spent in the Maze, half of it in stygian darkness, had been a lesson in madness.  
  
"I don't want it!" Harry could barely recognize his own voice-he remembered vaguely having finally lost it-how many times had he yelled? How many times had he called out for help, screamed in pain and fear? He hadn't heard another real voice besides his own for months, he'd bet on it. After the first few days-or had it been weeks-he'd realized he'd neither eaten nor had anything to drink-as if his body hadn't needed nourishment. Even those small, normal comforts had been taken from him-along with the sweet release of sleep. It had been nightmare after nightmare-and Harry had begun to doubt his sanity.  
  
"You can find someone else to be your champion," Harry spat hatefully, rising unsteadily to his feet, his clothes hanging in tatters around him. "I quit."  
  
"Impossible. You must fight."  
  
Harry turned in circles, looking into the dimly lit, cavernous room. "Fight? What do you think I've been doing for God knows how long? I've done nothing but fight! I almost went mad in there-in fact, I'm not quite sure I didn't! What more do you want from me? My bloody life?" He snorted. "Sorry, Voldemort's already laid claim to that."  
  
The voice was silent for a long moment.  
  
"The challenge has trained you in the use of the powers-you are not yet aware of it, but it was for your own benefit."  
  
"My benefit?" Harry's voice broke. "Watching my parent's die over and over again was a part of that too, I suppose. What about the Cruciatus Curse-Voldemort popping up around every other corner with that focused on me was a benefit as well? Do you have any idea how many times I almost begged to die? How worthy am I, really?" The bitterness in his tone ate away at him.  
  
"You are immune to the curse now, are you not?" The voice was quiet.  
  
Harry stood staring at the ground his shoulders shaking with his rage. He couldn't find words to speak.  
  
"Step forward, Harry Potter, and claim your destiny."  
  
He flung his head back, his green eyes hard and sharp as he clenched his fists. He knew he had no choice-Ron and Hermione and Ginny would be depending on him-so many lives were depending on him-but he didn't want it. He didn't want any of it.  
  
Harry took several halting steps forward, his lips still curled into an uncharacteristic snarl. Then a blinding, golden light hit him full on, and he heard the most calming, welcoming and beautiful thing he'd never even hoped to hear again-the song of the Phoenix.  
  
  
  
Harry woke up from his dream with a jolt-he sighed raggedly as he looked up at the canopy above his head. He hated that he had to relive that hell in his dreams-it didn't come often, but when it did-most days it had been like when he had gone through everything with The Goblet of Fire, and the loss of Cedric Diggory-he'd been through so much he couldn't always remember everything.  
  
To tell the truth he didn't mind. He didn't mind forgetting sometimes why he was so different, always so uncomfortable in his own skin.  
  
Skin. Harry lifted his wand hand, looking at the back of it-the Mark of the Phoenix was there, invisible to any but him, and perhaps, Dumbledore. He ran the fingers of his other hand across the smooth skin, feeling the slight heat rising from the mark. It was hard to believe that this was the only thing that would keep him from Voldemort's wrath-it acted as a protective shield against the Dark Arts as well as his link to the powers of the Order. It was unremarkable really-a small, roughly simplistic line drawing of a red plumed bird rising from a burst of flames-it reminded Harry of pictures he'd seen of ancient cave paintings-he supposed the Mark was probably as old as that, if not older.  
  
Doubts tugged at his thoughts, sending them into places he'd rather forget- but what would happen in the final battle? Would he be forced to use the powers so much that he would lose himself? There were so many 'what-if's' and 'maybe's' running amuck in his head, he couldn't think straight.  
  
Harry closed his eyes and focused, clearing his useless thoughts away-his destiny had already been mapped out-there was nothing he could do to change the final outcome, no matter how much power he possessed. All he could do was fight, and hope for the best.  
  
It was a shame the best never seemed fit to come his way.  
  
He glanced across the room to the darkened window as a wind rattled the thick, wavy panes of old glass, and he thought longingly of the approaching Christmas Holidays. The castle would be nearly empty-he might be able to finally spend some time alone with Ginny. Her parents were making another short trip to see Charlie and Bill, so Ron and she would be staying the Holiday vacation. Hermione had also made plans to stay, since it would be their last year together at Hogwarts. He just hoped it wasn't their last year together ever.  
  
Harry swiped a sheen of sweat from his face, rolling over onto his stomach to stare across at Ron, sleeping peacefully in the other four poster located next to his.  
  
Neville Longbottom was snoring loudly in his own bed across the room, and Harry almost grinned-he had missed even that. He shook his head.  
  
Sighing, knowing there would be no more sleep that night, Harry rose from his bed, and dressed. He put on his black school robes and quietly left the room, making his way down to the common room.  
  
"Ginny."  
  
The pretty young redhead turned in her seat from her contemplation of the fire to look at him.  
  
"Couldn't sleep?"  
  
Harry took a seat next her hesitantly, knowing there would be masses of questions that he couldn't answer. He hadn't paid attention to her as he should have since he'd returned-so many things had been hanging heavy on him, that his love for her had been pushed to the back of the line.  
  
He reached out and fingered one of her red curls. "I'm sorry Ginny."  
  
She looked at him curiously, her hand coming up to touch his. "Sorry? For what, Harry?"  
  
"You don't deserve this. I haven't been here for you, as I should have been-I've neglected you. You stay beside me, though. Why?" He knew very well, why. But he needed to hear it- he'd never get tired of hearing it. Love had been like a dirty word in the Dursley's household-at least when it had come to him.  
  
"Because I love you, Harry." She studied him closely, her eyes narrowing slightly, but to his surprise, didn't try to ply him with questions he couldn't answer.  
  
"I love you, too, Ginny." He gathered her into his arms and closed his eyes. "I'll always love you-please, be patient with me-you don't know how important you are to me."  
  
She sighed against him unsteadily.  
  
Harry held her the rest of the night, finally falling into a deep sleep as dawn came. When he awoke, he was alone; Ginny's robe was covering him.  
  
It was then that he realized he hadn't remembered to bother putting on his glasses.  
  
Ginny wandered through her usual day in a trancelike state-she dressed, ate, took notes, wrote down her assignments, and spoke when spoken to-but she didn't feel as if she were really there.  
  
Harry hadn't been wearing his glasses.  
  
Such a simple thing really-but it had explained so much-and so very little.  
  
Ginny waved at Ron and Harry as she passed them in the hall just before Charms-Harry was giving her a measuring look behind his glasses, almost as if he knew what was on her mind.  
  
She forced a weak smile, and he returned it before moving along with the flow of students heading in the opposite direction.  
  
Ginny tried not to wonder why Harry was hiding the fact that he could see without his glasses from her-or anyone else for that matter. Really, what did it matter that his vision had improved? If he chose to hide it, was it really anyone else's business?  
  
With difficulty, Ginny managed to push her troubling thoughts aside- after Charms was Defense Against The Dark Arts-this year the sixth and seventh year students were sharing one class per week together-Ginny didn't really see what the point was-she supposed the seventh years were supposed to share their experience with them-mostly it was just cramped and uncomfortable, and Slytherin and Gryffindor were always at each others throats; but Draco Malfoy had become strangely close mouthed whenever Harry was near.  
  
She did get to see Harry though-being near him made the two-hour long class with the dour Professor Snape bearable.  
  
Ginny walked into Professor Flitwick's class, already tired from the thought of moving through the rest of the day. She was supposed to be learning how to survive in the Wizarding world at Hogwarts-Ginny had never thought, in the excitement of her first year, that she would ever be trying to survive Hogwarts itself.  
  
TBC  
  
(Hey all hope you liked it! Sorry it's taken so long to update. Let me know what you think, and my thanks to all of you who have reviewed-writing goes so much faster when people like your stuff! Thanks again! ~Lee) 


	3. 3. The Avatar Of The Darkness

Author: Lee Velviet  
  
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling, The W.B., Etc. are the proud owners of all this stuff-I own nothing! (Though I do admit to being insanely jealous-J.K. sweetie, can I get the name of your Muse? Heh-heh.)  
  
Summary: Some of this Chapter is from Vol-:: sorry, Ron; don't get your Chudley Cannon's boxers in a bunch:: I mean, you–know-who's- POV. ^-^ Draco gets a pair-you'll see what I mean…  
  
(A/N: My first step in my fiendish master plan! Muwahhahahaa! ::blinks:: Right. Anyway let me know if like where it's going or not. Your opinion counts! ^-^ I know there are going to be questions, so I'm going to have a few explanations at the bottom-if they don't answer them, e-mail or leave them in your review, and I'll try really hard to answer them.)  
  
  
  
  
  
3. The Avatar Of The Darkness  
  
  
  
The moon hung full and bright over the Forbidden forest-at the very heart of the forest, though, it's light did not reach-in this part of the forest; nature itself seemed subdued, as though life couldn't thrive here.  
  
A wraithlike creature in a hooded black robe resided there, and it studied the moon only briefly before looking away-the creature's unnaturalness was at direct odds with the soft tranquility of the glowing orb.  
  
Lord Voldemort eyed the pitch-blackness of the silent forest around him and was pleased-for he was a creature of the night, of the darkness, and his surroundings suited him.  
  
The day was coming, soon, when he would be at his most powerful-his powers would rival that of the great Merlin himself-only they would not be wasted on the side of good.  
  
Voldemort reflected on his destiny-he'd always known that he would do great things-ridding the world of annoying, useless, powerless Muggles would be one of the firsts on his agenda-right after dispatching the irritating boy child Harry Potter, once and for all.  
  
This was proving increasingly difficult.  
  
He'd known Harry Potter was destined to challenge him one day. Lily and James Potter had been easy enough to get past-using the Killing Curse on the infant had backfired and all but destroyed him, owning to the sacrifice of the blasted woman for the life of her child. Weakened, he'd been fortunate to escape the ruined cottage before the Ministry had arrived.  
  
Voldemort sneered, reminded of the ensuing years of hiding out, residing mostly in the Forbidden Forest, reduced to drinking the blood of Unicorns to preserve his loathed half-life. The chance to end that too, had been stolen from him when the nosy brat succeeded in keeping the Sorcerer's Stone with its elixir of life from him-so many times the boy, a mere boy, had defeated him. It was past time for him to come out the victor-when next they met, only one of them would be walking away from the encounter, and Voldemort swore it would be him.  
  
He looked down at his skeletal hand, trying to remember if it had ever looked normal-what was normal after all?  
  
A sudden image came to him on his mind-a small boy, alone and crying on the steps of a cold Muggle orphanage. The dull, brainless Muggles who worked the dismal place thought the boy was crying over the fact that he had no family-but they hadn't known anything. The boy had been crying because the Muggle orphanage was hell for him-because he had always known, somehow, that he was different, a wizard, and he'd thought the Wizarding world was now forever lost to him, and he knew what he would be missing out on.  
  
Voldemort's thin lips twisted. Had he ever been that young? Had he always been so evil? So bent on achieving prominence, power, and vengeance? So filled with ambitiousness and aspiration?  
  
He thought back on his dark childhood. It wasn't difficult to remember, even with everything that had happened since. His father had abandoned him and his Mother when he'd been an unborn child-he'd been a freak to the man, and his family, and been almost immediately outcast. His entire life had been shattered when the bastard had gone-his son left behind like a bag of unwanted rubbish, unneeded, unwanted, and not worth mentioning.  
  
Voldemort recalled the night long ago when he'd at last taken his vengeance on the Riddle family with an unpleasant smile.  
  
Really, his father should be thanked-all the world should thank the man-for he had helped make Tom Marvolo Riddle-the boy who would become Lord Voldemort. He had ensured that young Tom would grow up with ambitions, intent on becoming the greatest, most powerful wizard that ever lived- intent on making sure that the world never forgot his name-or his face-ever again.  
  
Voldemort thought again on young Potter-he knew about the powers he had acquired over the summer. The Order Of The Phoenix had finally decided to step in and take a hand in stopping him, the olden fools. They were powerful, indeed-and clever, channeling their powers through the seemingly invincible Harry.  
  
Harry Potter was not invincible; however-and if the boy did not use the powers wisely which, Voldemort was counting on-he could very well destroy himself.  
  
He looked again at the ghostly moon. The time was drawing near, so very near…and he was not a patient man.  
  
Voldemort smiled thinly and summoned his most loyal Death Eater-Lucius Malfoy's son was about to fulfill his own destiny…  
  
  
  
  
  
Christmas Day, Hogwarts  
  
  
  
  
  
Harry had gotten bombarded by gifts from Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Hagrid, and of course, Mrs. Weasley, that morning; he even came across one from Snuffles-he didn't think he'd ever seen so many gifts with his name on them before.  
  
He plucked at the soft nubby green fabric of his new sweater as he watched Ron and Hermione playing exploding snap nearby. Hermione still jumped and screeched at every noise, and this seemed to be really amusing to Ron.  
  
Ginny walked into the common room bearing an armload of stuff from the kitchens, and she grinned at him as she dumped the lot on a table.  
  
"Thank God, I was bloody starving," Ron exclaimed and stood up, stretching.  
  
"You looked like it at breakfast," Ginny agreed, reminding him of the massive amount of food he'd eaten.  
  
"I'm still growing," Ron said defensively, walking over to paw through the food.  
  
Harry smiled at Ginny as she handed him a plump looking orange. "You didn't have to rush off just because I said I was getting hungry." He took her hand pulled her down to sit next to him before the fire.  
  
Ginny pushed her hair over her shoulder, and nervously took the piece of fruit back-she began to peel it, her chin tucked into her chest. "I wanted to-besides, there's still an hour and half 'till lunch. Ron would never have survived."  
  
He felt a grin coming on as he watched her-she hadn't questioned him about the summer since that night they'd fallen asleep before the fire. He'd been waiting for he to say something about the fact that he hadn't been wearing his glasses, but she hadn't said a word. She'd just talked with him, took long walks with him, studied with him-they'd gone to Hogsmeade and spent the day together alone … it had made things a hundred times easier-for him, at least. She'd seemed to know he needed her trust, and her understanding, and she'd given it to him willingly, unfailingly. In turn he was far more relaxed-but he felt like a complete heel because he couldn't say anything about it…  
  
Ginny looked up, her brown eyes velvety soft. "I ran into Dobby."  
  
Harry blinked. Dobby? "Oh…how is he?" Harry realized he hadn't been down to see Dobby in weeks.  
  
She bit her lip and pulled a small package out of her pocket. "He wanted me to give you this-he said he was sorry he didn't get to leave it for you this morning."  
  
Frowning, Harry took the brown paper wrapped package, and pulled the twine knot holding it closed. It felt too heavy to be socks…  
  
"What is that?" Ginny leaned forward, a curious frown on her face.  
  
Harry pulled the paper away and curled his hand around the small oddly warm metal object. "I'm not sure."  
  
Of course he knew what it was-but only because of the Mark on his hand. It was too bad it wouldn't give him such instant knowledge on his homework-he figured the Order would probably frown on their champion cheating. He looked at the small gold triangle with its ornately carved eye in the center curiously.  
  
Hermione looked over his shoulder and gasped. "That's an Eye Of Simtar- they're really rare. See the red stone in the center of the eye? It's a piece of Charm Stone-it's supposed to bring good fortune to its possessor. The symbol of the eye and the shape of the triangle are supposed the concentrate the Charm Stone's properties and make them more powerful." She looked at Harry searchingly, and he could see the wheels turning in her head at an insane speed.  
  
"Why would Dobby give you this? I wonder where he could have gotten it-"  
  
"How did you know what that was? Oh, don't tell me, you've 'read' about them." Ron mocked playfully.  
  
"I have," said Hermione defensively, only momentarily diverted.  
  
"What haven't you read about?" The boy mumbled, earning himself a pinch.  
  
Harry quickly put the charm into his pocket. Obviously Dobby knew what was up, and was trying to help. He felt bad for forgetting about the little house elf, and made a mental note to dig him out a pair of socks in thanks.  
  
"I guess he knows something we don't," said Hermione peevishly. She'd been making no secret that she thought Harry was wrong about not giving them any information about the past summer, and had done her best to get anything at all out of him. She'd been careful not to bug him in the beginning, giving him time, but had gotten sneaky about it when he wasn't willingly forthcoming with anything, and then it had turned into an all out mission by Halloween.  
  
Feeling guilty but unable to confide in his friends for their safety, Harry sighed and looked at Hermione pleadingly. "No offense, but you are on a need to know basis."  
  
"So there is something coming up! I knew it! That's what the charm is for- don't you think you should tell us what it is, so we can come up with a plan?"  
  
He stared at her steadily until she blushed and looked away, and he hoped that would be the end of it-the less questions asked the better-but he knew it was too much to hope that they forgot they ever saw the charm.  
  
"Why would Dobby be giving you that?" Hermione pressed suspiciously a moment later. It was obvious she wasn't giving up.  
  
He groaned inwardly, but shrugged in an I-don't-know sort of way.  
  
Hermione narrowed her eyes and set her jaw but didn't press him further-mostly because Ron was whispering in her ear.  
  
Harry looked over to see Ginny watching him closely, and then she shook her head slightly. "Here." She held out a perfectly peeled orange.  
  
"Thanks." Harry took it, his fingers brushing against hers.  
  
"You're welcome," she said softly, and turned her head to stare thoughtfully into the fire.  
  
Harry sighed and munched on the orange sections absently. He was hoping that if he did survive the last confrontation with Voldemort, he'd have friends to return to.  
  
  
  
  
  
Draco Malfoy stood with his father in the middle of the forbidden forest.  
  
He looked at his surroundings, feeling shaky and panicky-not at all how he should feel upon becoming a Death Eater.  
  
His father looked down on him with a cold, proud smile, and Draco straightened his back a bit-no, he couldn't show his doubt to his father- and God forbid he show it in front of Lord Voldemort.  
  
The darkness in the clearing was almost complete-only a brave ray or two of the moonlight shone into the area, and Draco could barely see anything.  
  
He had to try very hard not to jump when Voldemort suddenly apparated in front of him, his glowing violet eyes burning in the near darkness.  
  
A screech owl made its presence known nearby, and the wailing sound erupting from it's beak sent shudders down Draco's spine.  
  
"Ah, Lucius…I see you've brought me your heir."  
  
'Brought me your heir?' Draco did not like the sound of this…  
  
"Yes my lord-I hope that he is…up to your standards. He has been a more than decent pupil-I think that he shall fit your needs quite nicely."  
  
'Needs?' Draco stared into the violet eyes before dropping his in a gesture of respect. 'What needs?'  
  
"How old are you, boy?"  
  
The grating, harsh voice directed at him made his skin crawl. "Seventeen my lord."  
  
'Ah…good, good."  
  
Draco suddenly began to wish he were anywhere but there. He'd thought he was there to become a Death Eater…  
  
"Show me your arm, boy."  
  
Swallowing hard Draco rolled back the sleeve of his robe and fisted his hand to keep it from trembling. He thrust his forearm out to the dark lord and gritted his teeth.  
  
The icy burn of a skeletal finger under his chin brought his eyes to meet Voldemort's.  
  
"What I am about to give you, Son of Malfoy, is a great honor-there is a great war brewing, and soon, very soon it shall begin-a war between the dark and the light itself…"  
  
Draco felt his eyes widen, and he wanted to snatch his arm out of the thing's grasp and disappear, but Voldemort's next words made him freeze.  
  
"You have been chosen to be my champion, Malfoy…you will wield my power, or, at least a small part of it…you will be my Avatar, until I am strong enough to battle Potter again. You see, he has been chosen to become the champion of the light-but the powers he has attained, are too intense, too consuming for him to contain for very long. With every curse sent his way, every use of the power he controls, he grows darker, more indifferent; he becomes blind to his own mortality."  
  
Draco was still looping around the word Avatar. What the hell was the man talking about?  
  
"You-you can move freely about the school grounds, undetected…and in the meantime, you can use my powers to attack him at any time, any chance you may get…his powers will soon become so unstable, that when he finally faces me, he'll destroy himself using them against me. Yes, he'll die-or he'll turn, he'll become a dark wizard, and join us, and together we'll rid the world of all but the loyal pureblooded!" The violet eyes burned feverishly in the blackness.  
  
Draco was more scared at that moment than he'd ever been in his entire life- and he'd also decided that Voldemort was a raging nutter.  
  
"Are you ready to fulfill your destiny, ready to serve your master?"  
  
No. Hell no. Did he really want to become this monsters lap dog? Draco bit his tongue and nodded tautly. He was offering him power. Power. It was what he'd always wanted-wasn't it? And to be able to torture Potter…well that right there was well worth a lifelong commitment to Voldemort.  
  
He watched as Voldemort withdrew his wand-the twin to which Harry Potter owned…  
  
Voldemort touched the wand to the palm of his claw like hand, and shouted, "Apello Auctorita!"  
  
The figure seemed to slouch slightly, as a green burst of light moved from his skin into his wand, moving along it until it consumed it entirely.  
  
Draco's hand trembled as Voldemort took it in his, and then pressed the tip of his wand into his bared forearm. The skin there prickled and the muscles tensed as if in warning-  
  
"Arcesso Auctorita Bivium!"  
  
  
  
The bright green blast of pain and power was so unexpected and blinding that Draco fell forward, oblivious to anything and everything around him.  
  
  
  
  
  
Lucius caught his son in his arms and lowered the boy to the ground.  
  
"He will recover," Voldemort said tiredly. "When he does, take him home, allow him to rest before he returns to Hogwarts-he'll know what is expected of him."  
  
"Yes my lord,"  
  
"I must seek rest myself, now. Later I will summon the others-and Severus. It's time he decided who he is most loyal to…"  
  
  
  
  
  
Harry jerked awake in his bed at Hogwarts, the scar on his forehead burning as if the wound had just been placed there.  
  
Disoriented, he focused his eyes down onto the back of his hand-the Mark was glowing neon bright, pulsating-he got out of his bed, and went to the window, pulling it open to gaze over the lawns to the edge of the forbidden forest.  
  
Was it time already?  
  
No… but…something had disturbed the magical wards placed over Hogwarts- something from the forest…the light magic had been barely nudged by something dark, and twisted, and the mark on his hand had reacted violently- and so had his scar.  
  
Voldemort was again near-and he'd obviously brought something bad with him.  
  
Harry pushed his hair out of his eyes and closed the window.  
  
Yes, something very, very bad.  
  
  
  
TBC  
  
  
  
(A/N: Okay, if you're wondering-why would Voldie have an Avatar if he's rising to full power-well, if Voldemort can't get onto school grounds, and he wants to take Harry out by making him use his powers so much they destroy him, why not make the son of your most trusted Death Eater the embodiment of your power so as to catch him off guard and force him to use his powers as often as possible before the 'big' battle? It's confusing, yes? ^-^ Also, the Eye Of Simtar is totally made up, don't ask me where it came from-but it's going to play a big part at the end of the story. I hope it makes some kind of sense and is at the very least, somewhat entertaining.  
  
Next, we'll see some of Harry's power's-and what Draco is now capable of. It should be interesting! ^-^ Below are two definition's of Avatar-hope they're helpful. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to let me know what you think! Good, Bad, Ugly, whatever!)  
  
Avatar: An embodiment, as of a quality or concept; an archetype: the very avatar of cunning. "The incarnation of evil"  
  
A temporary manifestation or aspect of a continuing entity: occultism in its present avatar. "The very avatar of cunning" 


	4. 4. The Price Of Magic

Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me, nor am I making any cash from it – pity. ^_^  
  
(A/N: In case you're wondering, Tasseomancy is tea – leaf reading. I got the info from a wonderful book called The Sorcerer's Companion, by Allan Zola Kronzck & Elizabeth Kronzck. Check it out – it's a great book! Very informative! As for the spells Harry uses – they're taken very simply from Latin words – twisted to fit my uses, of course! If they suck, you know who's to blame! Me. ^-^)  
  
  
  
4. The Price Of Magic  
  
  
  
Harry boredly tipped his teacup into the dim light to see what his 'future' held…the mass of tea - leaves stuck to the bottom stubbornly refused to resemble anything at all.  
  
It was the first day back to classes after the New Year, and he was loathing it. It was the same old thing, especially with Trelawney – he was tired of listening to her long winded, gasping remarks about his tragic, bloody 'death' at the hands of Voldemort.  
  
Harry leaned over to Ron, who was scratching notes onto his parchment, and shoved the teacup at him. "Can you make anything out of this? I can't 'see' anything – guess I've never caught on to the whole 'tasseomancy' thing."  
  
Ron arched a dark red brow and rubbed his nose on his sleeve before taking the cup and studying it dutifully.  
  
"Well…I see a, a…well, it looks like a crab. Hold on…" Ron opened his copy of Unfogging The Future and flipped through a few pages. "Crab – means you have an enemy nearby." He looked at Harry and snorted. "Like we needed bloody tea leaves to tell us that."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes.  
  
Ron looked into the cup again and frowned thoughtfully. "There's a noose – would you look at that? I can't believe it…"  
  
Harry looked into the cup curiously but couldn't make out a thing. "Ron, what are you playing at? I still don't see anything."  
  
Ron mumbled and continued looking through his book. "It means there's danger ahead. No surprise there…ah, there's a vase. It means…a friend in need of help - "  
  
It was while Ron was looking into the cup for the third time that his face paled and he shoved it back at Harry. "Here – that's all. There's nothing else to tell."  
  
"Ron…you're lying – what's wrong?"  
  
His friend looked at him reluctantly, and swallowed hard. "T – there's a scorpion. A – a scorpion and a scythe…Harry…" Ron looked incapable of any more words.  
  
Harry felt his blood run cold and he snatched the book from Ron's hands.  
  
"Scorpion – an enemy's plot…that's not so bad, Ron. Scythe…a warning of death…"  
  
Harry slowly closed the book and looked up to see Madam Trelawney watching him. She shook her head pityingly.  
  
He looked away and handed the book back to his friend numbly. It didn't matter.  
  
"No worries, Ron…it's always been a possibility that Vo – you – know – who would eventually kill me…I'm not worried, really…looks like you'll be a great Divinator one day." He tried to say this jokingly but the words came out flat.  
  
"You're not going to die, Harry," Ron said slowly, shaking his head. He put a shaky hand to his tie and tugged it loose with his fingers. "I am…"  
  
Harry looked at Ron in disbelief. "What?"  
  
The freckled red head that'd been his faithful and loyal companion for years unknotted the tie around his throat and popped open the top button on his shirt. He watched as Ron took a deep breath.  
  
"It's all there, Harry…'a friend in need of help'…the death warning…it's me."  
  
"You are reading things into this, Ron - no one is going to die. Especially not you."  
  
"You talk as if you know something is going to happen, Harry," Ron stated, watching him sharply.  
  
Harry bit his tongue and dropped his eyes to his hands.  
  
"Well? Do you? Is that what you've been hiding from us all year?"  
  
"I don't 'know' anything, Ron," Harry finally said, truthfully. He didn't know 'what' was going to happen… he didn't know the future.  
  
"You'd tell me, wouldn't you?"  
  
"In a heartbeat," lied Harry smoothly. He didn't want to, but he couldn't tell Ron – his friend would end up doing something stupid. Harry swore in that moment that he'd die before any harm befell any of his friends…  
  
Ron stared at the teacup again and then grinned. "I don't know why that got to me so bad - none of this stuff is real anyway – Trelawney's incense must be getting to me finally."  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised," Harry said dryly. To get Ron on a different subject, he urged him to read his own leaves.  
  
His friend looked reluctantly into his cup and abruptly let out a loud whoop. "Check it out Harry! A spider!"  
  
"Ron, you hate spiders,"  
  
"Yeah, but this means good luck…and," he looked up at Harry with twinkling eyes, "money!"  
  
Harry made a mental note to make sure that the funds in his account at Gringott's would go to Ginny and Ron in case anything happened to him…he bit back a bitter smile. Who'd have ever thought a seventeen year old would ever have had to make out a will?  
  
"That's great, Ron – it's about time."  
  
"I'll say! Thank god – it's almost time to leave. I have a headache from all this junk."  
  
Harry caught Trelawney watching him again and frowned. It was almost as if she knew exactly what was going on. Which was ridiculous, because she'd made very few correct prophecies in her career – Dumbledore had said so himself. So why was the woman looking at him as if she actually did know what was going on? And, even worse – exactly what his fate was going to be…  
  
~***~  
  
Harry tried not to think about Ron's predictions during practice that evening. It was almost impossible, though.  
  
The weather had been freezing cold all day, but at least it had been sunny – until the late afternoon when it had begun drizzling rain and turning the snow on the ground into squelchy lumps of ice.  
  
Harry stayed out on the pitch by himself long after the others had gone in, as had become his habit. He lapped the pitch a few times, lost in thought. His robes were sodden, and becoming heavy and uncomfortable, and the wind and cold were numbing his cheeks and hands, but he wasn't ready to go in just yet.  
  
He was thinking about something he'd never really thought about before – the fact that Voldemort might attack his friends just to get to him. Ginny, Ron, Hermione, anyone he was in close contact with was in constant danger. Until he could do something about Voldemort, no one he cared about was safe around him, and it weighed heavily on him.  
  
Just as he began to wonder if he should stay as far from his friends as possible, or even leave the school all together, the scar on his forehead gave a warning twinge, and then throbbed with a vengeance. He had to grip the handle of his broom tightly so as not to fall off as the pain became unbearable.  
  
He glided down to the ground quickly, and dropped his broom aside. The Mark on the back of his hand glowed in a fiery fashion, and he withdrew his wand from beneath his robes, turning in a slow circle in the center of the pitch, eyes flickering about for any sign of movement.  
  
The feeling he was having was odd – it was as if Voldemort were standing right front of him, the pain was so bad in his scar…it hadn't hurt so badly since the night Cedric had been killed –  
  
A flash of green light caught the corner of his eye and he ducked and rolled across the muddy, icy ground as the ray of light struck where he'd been standing.  
  
Harry shot up to his feet, his breath coming hard, and looked around wildly – but he could see no one.  
  
"Crucio!"  
  
His head shot over to the area where he heard the harsh, garbled voice emanate from, and felt an unpleasant tingle from the effects of the curse as it hit him, but nothing more.  
  
"Show yourself!" Harry shouted, flinging his soaking bangs out of his eyes. The rain began to fall harder, the sky growing darker.  
  
There was a low laugh, and Harry knew it wasn't Voldemort – it lacked the high pitch of his voice.  
  
"Coward."  
  
Harry's taunting remark made the laughter abruptly stop, but no figure was forthcoming.  
  
Becoming annoyed, Harry crossed his arms, ignoring the ominous sounds of the building storm around him. He narrowed his eyes and waited.  
  
One curse after another was flung his way, and each bounced off in turn. His body was fairly humming with power when the cold voice finally hissed the killing curse – and his rage rose. How dare the snake approach him on these grounds, in his haven, and have the nerve to use Avada Kadavra? He wasn't a helpless infant anymore…  
  
The curse that had killed his parents slammed into the magical wards surrounding his body, and shimmered before his eyes like a sheer, deadly green curtain before sliding away, useless. A numbness swept across his skin before the full effect of the curse faded away, and he fisted his hands, a muscle in his jaw twitching.  
  
" In case you haven't noticed, nothing you can throw at me can harm me…with every curse, my power only grows," Harry snapped angrily. "I suggest you leave while you can – you're only succeeding in pissing me off." His green eyes began to glow incandescently, while the storm winds grew around him, whipping at his black hair and scarlet robes.  
  
A cold laugh met his words. "Right, Potter – you aren't as invincible as you like to think. My Master knows, that with every curse, you're power is drawn upon…and while you like to think you remain untouched, your very being becomes darker – and your resolve weaker! My Master won't have to bother defeating you – you'll end up defeating yourself!"  
  
Harry ignored the threats and closed his eyes, envisioning the stranger standing before him. He summoned his powers, calling the stranger's location to mind. In his mind's eye he could suddenly see his attacker standing only a few feet from him…the tall, cloaked, hooded figure clothed in unrelieved black was definitely not Voldemort. But his power emanated from the aura surrounding the form, rising in a black and green mist.  
  
Harry re – opened his eyes. He took a deep breath, trying unsuccessfully to rein in his temper, and, with a slight snarl on his lips, raised his wand above his head, calling to the blackening sky.  
  
"Accsertius!"  
  
There came a crashing roar – and he could see lightning flash from behind his eyelids. Molten energy surged into his body, and Harry opened his eyes to see everything veiled in a mist of red. He pointed his wand with whispered a command. "Clarius!"  
  
The air seemed to shift around the cloaked figure – and the man became clearly visible.  
  
Harry smiled thinly. "A cloaking charm – difficult. I'm impressed. It was a nice try. Constrictio!"  
  
Red - orange streams shot out of the end of his wand, and wrapped around the figure from head to foot, effectively binding it - but after the man uttered a mere word, the flaming bonds fell away into gray tendrils of smoke.  
  
Harry narrowed his eyes and tried again.  
  
"DEBILITIUS!"  
  
He watched in dark satisfaction as the curse struck and sapped the strength from his enemy –the man sagged, faltering, and then his eyes widened as the stranger straightened and unbelievably, attempted the killing curse again. It crashed into Harry's ward, ineffective, and he wondered why the stupid fool was bothering using it-it was of no use against him.  
  
Harry again furiously directed his wand at his enemy – a bolt of crimson lightning slashed out of the sky, and struck the ground where the figure stood with a crash – but in the blinding light, he could see the stranger had already retreated.  
  
He realized moments later, after the figure had disappeared again, and some semblance of control returned to his angry, fevered mind, that he'd been tricked into using his powers-forced, actually-and that was bad. That was really bad. How had his attacker known about the possible consequences?  
  
"Discutio Eruptio!" Harry growled furiously, and flung the excess energy off of his fingertips back into the sky. A monstrous black cloud began forming overhead, and purple lightning emitted from it, the thunder rolling long, loud, and angry across the sky. The ground rumbled beneath his feet and Harry set his jaw as he summoned his broom.  
  
He turned a black look on the spot where the figure had disappeared. The pain in his forehead eased, slowly, and he knew the figure was retreating. The spineless, slithering snake…  
  
Cursing himself for having let his temper get the best of him, Harry mounted his broom and flew back up to the school. He needed to talk to Dumbledore. He'd just done something universally stupid.  
  
~***~  
  
Dumbledore shook his head.  
  
"The first thing I can tell you, Harry, is that you should never have retaliated in anger."  
  
Harry looked at the elderly headmaster from beneath lowered brows. "This information would have been useful to me 'before' this happened," he couldn't keep from saying in frustration.  
  
Dumbledore looked at him, apparently not offended. "How do you feel?"  
  
"Right now? Pretty hacked off – at myself." Harry made a sound of disgust and slouched in his chair. "I don't think I've ever been so angry in my entire life! How could I have been so stupid?" He stared gloomily at the back of his wand hand. Was it his imagination, or had the glowing red mark turned darker?  
  
"You've had over six months to get used to your power, Harry – it's made you begin to believe you're invincible."  
  
"Well, I am, aren't I?" Harry stated with uncharacteristic arrogance.  
  
"Yes, in a way – but you have to keep yourself distant when you battle, Harry – else it takes too much out of you."  
  
" 'Distant'? I don't mean to sound disrespectful, sir, but you try remaining 'distant' when someone's trying to bloody kill you!"  
  
"You're sure it wasn't Voldemort then?"  
  
"No…but it looked like one of his Death Eaters." Harry rubbed the aching scar on his forehead in confusion. "My scar – it reacted as if it really were Voldemort."  
  
"You vanquished him?"  
  
Harry snorted, squeezing water from his robes. "He didn't stay around long enough to fight really…"  
  
  
  
A moment of silence passed before Dumbledore shook his head. "I was afraid this would happen,"  
  
"You were afraid 'what' would happen," asked Harry wearily.  
  
"Voldemort has passed his power on to another – this doesn't mean he is no longer a threat to us – it just means that you won't be safe even here in Hogwarts." Dumbledore sighed tiredly, looking ancient and worn suddenly. "He's created himself an avatar – like you, Harry – a champion of sorts."  
  
"An avatar?" Harry took off his glasses, and folded them away. "He's gotten some stupid Death Eater to do his dirty work for him...I don't understand."  
  
"It's a student, Harry…one of my students."  
  
"Are you saying it's someone who goes to Hogwarts?" Harry gripped the chair arms tightly, his expression hardening.  
  
"It must be…the grounds have been secured against Voldemort, and his followers…but if one of his followers is a student…" Dumbledore closed his eyes briefly. "It could be anyone."  
  
"Sod that – it's Malfoy," Harry growled impatiently, standing to prowl the office.  
  
"You know as well as I that I cannot go about accusing anyone."  
  
"Who else would it be?" Harry muttered darkly. "I'm sorry, Professor – I just…I don't feel like myself. Something's different. I feel like someone else is talking every time I open my bloody mouth."  
  
"I'm sorry, " the older man suddenly stated gravely. "There's always been a possibility that the powers may corrupt you. I had hoped…it doesn't matter now." Dumbledore sighed, looking at Harry over his glasses. "We had to take that risk, Harry…"  
  
  
  
"It going to turn me dark, and unnatural, and you 'had to take the risk'?" Harry shook his head, staring again at the mark on his hand blindly. "Has anyone involved in this stopped to think about what I want? About what's going to happen to my life if I survive this? All I've heard the past months is what I 'must' do, how I 'must' prevail. Why the hell didn't any of you tell me about the possibility that Voldemort might have an avatar?"  
  
  
  
"Do you think it would have made a difference Harry? Do you think it would have made it easier?"  
  
  
  
"No…but you could have given me a choice! I never got one! This…this changed me, forever."  
  
  
  
"We had no choice, Harry-you are our only hope. The world's only hope."  
  
Harry answered this with a vivid curse, and then his eyes widened slightly and he looked at the headmaster – he hadn't even known that word was in his vocabulary.  
  
Dumbledore watched him with a sad amusement. "It sounds as if the drains on your mind and body have already begun to take affect. You really aren't quite yourself, are you?"  
  
"I haven't been myself since Sirius dumped me in that bloody hole!" Harry slammed his fist angrily into the stone wall, watching bitterly as the force lacerated his knuckles – and as the cuts abruptly disappeared. I can't even frigging bleed if I want to, he thought to himself resentfully.  
  
"Sirius is not at fault, here, Harry. I thought you had gotten past this."  
  
Harry stared at the floor, trying to shake his feelings of betrayal. He'd thought he had, too. He thought back on Ron's predictions and bit his lip.  
  
"Tell me, Professor…how do you plan that I go about killing Voldemort?"  
  
The old man's eyes met his steadily. "It is your destiny, Harry, to find that answer, not mine."  
  
Harry felt his spine go rigid. "You know what happened the last time I tried to battle Voldemort…is that what you see as my destiny? The probable loss of my life, and the certain loss of my soul in destroying him?"  
  
The old headmaster sighed and opened his mouth to reply -  
  
A knock sounded on the door.  
  
"Sorry to interrupt, Professor, but…I've been…summoned." Severus Snape stepped into the office, his face drawn in pain, his complexion waxen and paler than usual.  
  
Harry whirled around to face his Potions teacher, his voice apprehensive. "You can't go – he'll kill you this time, I know he will."  
  
"I shall have to take the risk – he's already suspicious, Potter." Snape smiled bitterly. His black eyes flashed in the candlelight as he looked at Harry through the strands of his dark hair. "Your concern for my welfare is most flattering, by the way."  
  
"Don't be a fool – your death won't be of any use to anyone." Harry scowled.  
  
"I don't plan on dying, Mr. Potter – I'm not quite as noble and self – sacrificing as all that. Hold your prattling tongue for a few minutes, before I take points away for your presumptuousness." Snape was quick to point out that though Harry may be their savior, he was still just a student.  
  
Biting his tongue against a nasty comeback, Harry settled back into his chair, listening with half an ear as Snape began to outline his plan.  
  
" I have been thinking, Albus…"  
  
~***~  
  
Harry left the office feeling incredibly frustrated, dark despair twisting around his insides. He felt as if a hand were squeezing around his heart.  
  
He knew Malfoy was responsible for the attack. The rat's voice had even sounded familiar, disguised as it was. No one said 'Potter' quite like Draco Malfoy.  
  
Descending the stairs from the Headmaster's tower, he headed for the Gryffindor tower. He desperately wanted to stop thinking…he wanted it to be over – all of it. He was weary, deeply so. He was tired of the secrets, the doubts, the constant plotting. He was tired of questioning the true motives of everyone around him, and the uncertainty of his friends…tired of not being able to talk about his problems and feelings with Ginny. He didn't even know who he was anymore.  
  
Harry paused, running a hand over his face. It was late, and he felt worn to the bone.  
  
Malfoy could wait – he'd find him tomorrow, and get the answers he wanted. He didn't care if he'd have to break him in half with his own hands – if the bastard was conspiring against him; he was going to pay for it.  
  
Tomorrow.  
  
Harry's anger smoldered, banked into a flaming resolve. For now, he was going to go to sleep – or at least try to.  
  
He entered the common room, and then tiredly climbed the stairs into the dorms. He went into the bathroom, and changed his clothes and brushed his teeth. He was leaving when he passed a mirror and stopped before it to look at himself. Cloudy green eyes drifted over the worn collar of his pajamas, and his damp, messy black hair that was in desperate need of a cutting.  
  
Harry shook his head slightly as he met his own eyes in the mirror. It was a sad day when the lives and well - being of an entire planet rested on his insufficient shoulders. When he'd first come to Hogwarts he'd never thought he'd be asked to fight a dark wizard, or his evil followers…and with only the unsure, badly understood powers given him by the spirits of long dead witches and wizards he'd never even seen.  
  
He wheeled around, unable to look at himself any longer, and made his way to his bed.  
  
Shoving away his thoughts with a super – human effort, Harry curled into himself beneath his blankets, and tried desperately to shut the world out…if only for one night.  
  
TBC  
  
(A/N: Hey guys. What'd you think? Is this chapter a keeper? Let me know. Reviews would be very welcome – your thoughts and opinions count. Thanks for reading!!! I appreciate it! ^-^ ~Lee) 


	5. 5. Climbing Mountains

Disclaimer: Don't own it, not making any money from it – Have a nice day.  
  
~***~  
  
5. Climbing Mountains  
  
~***~  
  
Harry woke up very reluctantly. The dull throb in his scar was becoming insistent.  
  
He opened his eyes as he became aware of everything around him, and closed them again when he saw the gray dawn sunlight peering into the room through the window.  
  
Ignoring the faint warning, Harry pulled his pillow over his head, and stretched, yawning.  
  
No, I'm not ready for this yet today, he thought to himself faintly. It's too damn early.  
  
He tried to go back to sleep, but Neville shifted noisily in his bed across the way, and this set the boy off snoring again.  
  
Harry gave his head a small - frustrated shake and lifted his hand to rub his eyes. The phoenix on the back of his hand was glowing blood red.  
  
He gave it a curious, frowning glance before sighing roughly and throwing back his blankets.  
  
~***~  
  
Moving through the day with his defenses up constantly was making him impatient. He found himself snapping and snarling at anyone who crossed his path, and his scar felt like it was doing it's best to burn right into his skull.  
  
Harry made his way up to the Owlery after classes to send a message off to Sirius about the attack the day before, only to find that Hedwig wanted absolutely nothing to do with him.  
  
He offered her an owl treat, but she just nipped at him, and flew off to a higher perch, staring down at him with slitted golden eyes.  
  
"Hedwig! Get down here! I don't have time for this," growled Harry impatiently, looking up at the snowy white owl.  
  
The owl gave an angry hoot and turned her head to face the wall.  
  
Harry bit his tongue, and gave the letter to one of the school owls to deliver – he tried not to notice the way the brown owl cringed as he tied the missive to it's leg and sent it off.  
  
Angry and hurt, he left after a last glance at Hedwig, who had gone to sleep with her head beneath her wing.  
  
~***~  
  
"Malfoy."  
  
Harry watched as Draco Malfoy turned from his contemplation of the frozen lake to face him.  
  
He shouldn't have been surprised by the change in the other boy, but he was.  
  
The dark power emanating off him was very well hidden, but Harry could almost taste it in the air. His eyes had become feverishly bright in two dark circles in his pale face, and his whole body seemed to be trying to reject the unnaturalness invading it.  
  
"You know you're dying, don't you. Your body can't contain his power."  
  
The blonde shook his head, the expression on his face seeming torn. Malfoy didn't bother denying what he said. "Funny – he said the same thing about you."  
  
"Did you accept it, or did he force it on you?"  
  
Malfoy laughed harshly, seeming almost as if he'd forgotten Harry was even there. "I thought I was going to be able to control it. He promised me power. But he treats me like I'm his bloody puppet – it's worse than being under the Imperious."  
  
Harry watched as the boy pushed the sleeve up on his robe and dug his fingernails frantically into an oozing, purple veined wound on his forearm.  
  
"A – and this thing – it's driving me bloody mad."  
  
"You were already mad, thinking Voldemort would just give you his precious power. You know what's going to happen, don't you? He'll use you until your body gives out, then he'll reabsorb the energy and forget all about you."  
  
Malfoy jerked his head up, his eyes burning fiercely, his platinum hair tangled and sweaty despite the cold wind.  
  
"And just what do you think is going to happen to you, perfect Potter? You think you're going to just defeat the dark lord, prance off like a ponce with your little weasel girlfriend, and live happy ever after? Tell me who's mad, now."  
  
"I'm not expecting to live through this – if Voldemort doesn't get me, the power eventually will. I haven't got the strength to temper it. Hell, even Dumbledore knows that. But Voldemort is going down, one way or another, when I do."  
  
Harry met the boy's stare unflinchingly, an icy calm settling over him. A freezing gust of winter air blew against his face, and he released a long breath, the warmth clouding his glasses. Harry reached up and removed the useless frames on his nose, tucking them into his pocket.  
  
"It may not be too late for you, you know. You could go to Dumbledore."  
  
He watched as Malfoy shook his head, his voice flat. "He'd know. I'd be dead before I reached the castle."  
  
"You're dead anyway if you remain on this path," Harry stated coldly. "You should be glad I had a decent rest last night. After that stunt you pulled yesterday, I was ready to eviscerate you."  
  
Violet flashed in the other boys' eyes. "Don't kid yourself into thinking I'm helpless, Potter, just because I look half dead. I'm not going out without a fight."  
  
"I could blow you over with a strong wind," Harry muttered staring across the expanse of white landscape surrounding them.  
  
"I'm supposed to cursing you, you know, not standing here slowly freezing my bloody bits and pieces off," Malfoy snapped impatiently, withdrawing his wand with a shaking hand.  
  
"Voldemort should have picked a stronger Avatar," Harry said, shaking his head. "You always have been a sickly looking prat."  
  
"I'm a hell of a lot stronger than you, Potter – I always have been."  
  
Without warning, Harry brandished his wand and pointed it directly at him. "You may be stronger – but you certainly aren't smarter. Once this is all over, just remember who the hell saved your worthless ass, Malfoy." Harry closed his eyes and let his powers take control of his thoughts.  
  
"ASCERTIUS!"  
  
The sudden withdrawal of the dark, corrupt power made Malfoy fall face forward onto the ground, unconscious.  
  
It hit Harry's being with the force of boiling acid, twisting his insides and spilling across his soul like an inky black stain…  
  
Harry slumped forward slightly, and then sagged to the snow covered ground onto his knees.  
  
The world tilted drunkenly as his body absorbed the forbidden power, and Harry smirked painfully as he felt Voldemort lose his control over it. The creature howled his fury and the angry cry echoed in his head before Harry opened his eyes and it disappeared.  
  
He saw the late afternoon shadows falling long and dark across the grounds slither slightly as he blinked – the entire world looked different. Darker.  
  
It was with a deep sense of foreboding that Harry stood, with Malfoy in tow, and returned to the castle.  
  
The Order would be jumping down his throat.  
  
~***~  
  
"Do you realize what you've done?"  
  
Harry felt an icy anger creep through his veins, and he looked at his headmaster with a seething intensity. "Slap my hand, call me a naughty boy, and get over it. I've weakened Voldemort – that's all that matters."  
  
"You've pulled the stupidest stunt I've ever seen had the misfortune to see, is what you've done," Dumbledore muttered darkly, glaring down his nose at Harry.  
  
"I couldn't let Malfoy run free about the school causing havoc – I have my friends to think of as well, you know, Professor. Voldemort could have had Malfoy take out any one of them at any time, and I may have been powerless to stop it. You and the almighty 'Order' may not have thought of that, but I have." Harry stood up from his chair before the headmaster's desk, and paced the room, feeling caged.  
  
"You succeeded in removing the threat, yes, but you also succeeded in corrupting yourself further, Harry. Using the powers to absorb Voldemort's from Mr. Malfoy was a dangerous and foolhardy thing to do – you could not have known what it might have done to you."  
  
"I knew, Professor – I just didn't care. Why should I, when I already know how everything is going to end? What does it matter if I die a dark wizard or not?"  
  
Harry paused to rub the back of his neck, closing his eyes for patience. "I feel like I've been climbing a bloody mountain my entire life, only to get so far and get knocked off and have to start all over again…"  
  
Dumbledore shook his head, watching him closely.  
  
"You don't know how everything is going to end, Harry – it's entirely possible that you may live through this – the question is, however, what we're going to have to deal with if you do make it – the order can take back the powers, Harry, whenever they wish – but you have power in your own right, you always have…and now you have a bit of Voldemort's as well. What will happen if you turn completely, Harry? If you live and turn on us – things could be much, much worse than 'anything' we ever saw under Voldemort."  
  
Thunder echoed across the sky outside the tower, and Harry walked to the window, watching rain sheet downwards from the darkness overhead.  
  
"I'd never do it. I'd never hurt anyone,' he said hollowly, his voice flat.  
  
Dumbledore sighed roughly behind him, and Harry dropped his chin to his chest, as he heard the elderly wizard leave the room.  
  
Furious suddenly, Harry turned and flung out his wand, sending the door slamming shut behind the old man with a splintering, shattering crash.  
  
"Leave me alone, then, damn you! It's what you people are best at, isn't it!"  
  
Silence greeted his caustic words, and Harry fell back wearily against the wall near the window as the thunder rolled overhead.  
  
~***~  
  
"Harry…come to bed."  
  
Harry looked up sleepily as Ginny came to keel by him, and he realized he had fallen asleep on the floor by the window in the astronomy tower.  
  
"Ginny…" he pushed his bangs out of his eyes and sat slowly, feeling as if a truck had hit him. Or a tornado.  
  
Ginny's red hair fell in soft, loose curls around her concerned face, and she laid a soft palm against his jaw, tears gathering in her eyes.  
  
"Come on…I'll help you back to the dorms."  
  
Harry had never wanted to kiss her more than he did in that moment. He wanted to pull her down beside him, and kiss her until he couldn't breathe.  
  
"Ginny…" he whispered again, a dark ache in his chest that made him grab her wrist and pull her against him. "I love you, Ginny…"  
  
"Harry," she closed her eyes and laid her warm, damp lips against his, her other tiny hand coming up to touch his face.  
  
He kissed her back forcefully, a tremor running the length of his body.  
  
She pulled back from him slightly, her breathing coming more quickly. "Harry, what's wrong? You're shaking."  
  
"I want you so badly I can't even breathe, Ginny," he said against her ear, feeling her shiver against him. "I love you, and I want you so much I can't think straight…"  
  
She turned her head and kissed him again, and he felt her heart flutter wildly against his chest as he closed his eyes and buried his hands deeply in her silky warm hair.  
  
"Let's just stay here, tonight, Harry…please, just you and me…I want you to show me how much you love me."  
  
Her breathless, whispered plea made Harry want to lower her back onto the floor and touch her in ways he'd only ever imagined…  
  
He opened his eyes, looked into her flushed, lovely, sweetly freckled face, and couldn't bring himself to give her what she wanted. Not with what now existed inside of him. Just the thought of any part of Voldemort intruding on their first time together made him ill.  
  
"I can't, Ginny…I love you, I want you more than anything…but I can't. Not like this. Not the way I am, now."  
  
She took a wavering breath after a moment, but didn't push him further. She removed herself from his lap after pressing a soft, soothing kiss to his forehead and stood.  
  
"I don't understand it, Harry, but I trust you. I love you. Once whatever the hell is going on around here is over, you belong to me. Got it?"  
  
Harry stood up, every part of him aching, and smiled slightly, pulling her into a tight embrace. 'If there's anything left of me, it's yours,' he thought with dark humor, burying his face in her neck.  
  
~***~  
  
TBC  
  
  
  
(A/N: Sorry about the shortness, Guys – guess I just thought there wasn't a whole lot left to say here – hope you liked it! ^-^ ~Lee) 


	6. 7. The Shade

6. The Shade  
  
(A/N: I borrowed the bits and pieces of Dumbledore's speech to Harry from this horror novel I picked up and thumbed through at the store called…er…damn, what was it? Grr…oh! Caliban, by a Robert Devereaux. I saw them and they fit so perfect I hadda borrow em! The rest comes from my disturbed little mind. So credit goes where credit is due! By the way – I own nothing! ^_^)  
  
~***~  
  
~ "Anyone who doesn't worry about becoming a monster…is one." ~ Robert Ruthven  
  
  
  
As the days passed, Harry became increasingly uneasy about the fate of his friends - Ron, in particular. The look Trelawney had given him that day of the Tasseomancy lesson had stuck there at the back of his mind…  
  
He visited Dumbledore with his concerns…and a request.  
  
"I'm afraid you've asked me for the one thing I cannot give, Harry."  
  
Harry rolled a ball of polished crystal from the edge of the headmaster's desk in his hand absently, staring at the fractured rainbow formations inside.  
  
"So you would refuse me even this one small request, Professor?" He asked in a deceptively soft whisper. The clear, naturally formed crystal in his hand began to cloud, and it levitated slightly above his palm, turning blue - black…  
  
Dumbledore sighed, feeling the darkness rolling off the boy in waves. "There are limitations, Harry, and there are limitations for a reason-"  
  
"No. Isn't it enough that I'm giving my life? That my parents gave theirs? That Cedric gave his? Or the countless others? It has to end, Professor…"  
  
"If Mr. Weasley is destined to die, Harry, then it will be so. There is nothing you or I can do to change his fate."  
  
Harry's eyes flashed, intense violet over green, as he raised his head to give the older man a look from beneath his dark lashes.  
  
"I don't think a time – turner is such a terribly large request, Professor. If I don't make it – if something does happen to Ron – I want you to give Ginny or Hermione that option. Ron doesn't deserve to lose his life over me."  
  
Albus looked at him thoughtfully. "Do you recall Harry, what Professor Snape spoke of doing?"  
  
Clenching his jaw, Harry nodded.  
  
"Perhaps there is a way…"  
  
  
  
~***~  
  
  
  
~ "Our Greatest Enemy Is The One We Cannot See…" ~  
  
  
  
He knew there was no future for them, now – but it didn't stop him from wanting her.  
  
Harry found himself watching Ginny more and more as the weeks passed.  
  
It was becoming disturbing – for the simple fact that there was a monster inside of him, eating away at everything he had been – and that monster was eyeing Ginny.  
  
He sat in the common room one noisy evening, early in March, feeling distanced from everything surrounding him.  
  
Ginny was sitting with Hermione across the room, laughing and talking – something dark uncurled from the nest it had made inside of him as he watched her sweet lips curve into a smile.  
  
Harry dropped his head back onto the chair he was sitting in, trying to concentrate on Dumbledore's earlier words.  
  
"You must be alert – always stay in your center. Do not forget who you are, Harry. Do not rely on the magic – find your center, and do not stray from it…"  
  
"Close your eyes," another, darker voice suddenly hissed, serpent – like, inside his head. "Close your eyes, and become other worldly…"  
  
Harry swallowed, and continued to stare blankly at the ceiling.  
  
"Stay in your center, Harry. It serves you ill to rely too much on your magic. Your natural powers atrophy…don't forget who you are."  
  
He looked down again, staring at the mark on the back of his hand as if it held all the answers.  
  
Omnipotent, his ass…  
  
Ginny giggle from across the room tinkled like silvery shards of broken glass along every nerve in his body – and it felt good.  
  
Harry couldn't keep himself from looking over at her again, at her red hair, the color of blood, and her white, fair skin –  
  
"Take what you want," the corrupt voice hissed again, "no one can stop you…not even Dumbledore. Not the Order. No one…YOU can be the most powerful wizard the world has ever seen…greater even than Merlin, Harry…you can rule…you can annihilate Voldemort…"  
  
At first he thought it 'was' Voldemort, exerting some kind of power over him – but then he remembered, Voldemort had lost his control over his power completely when he'd drained it from Malfoy…he'd felt it.  
  
Trembling with a sudden, possible realization, Harry barely made it out into the relative privacy of the corridor before collapsing against a wall, panting.  
  
He clenched his eyes shut, challenging the owner of the voice, using his powers despite the danger to search out this new enemy, and destroy him –  
  
His eyes flew wide, and after a moment, he fell to his knees…and the roar of furious disbelief and despair that escaped his lips shook the castle to it's very foundation, deep within the earth…  
  
The owner of that voice, the evil, soul blackened creature that'd spoken to him with such a gripping, enchanting influence, had been…him.  
  
And that creature, that 'thing' that had stepped out of the shadows of his being, had born an uncanny resemblance to Tom Riddle, so much so that it had taken him a moment to realize that it really wasn't Tom, with his coal black hair, and malevolent, eerily glowing red eyes…it was him, a dark shade of himself…  
  
"Still with us, Potter," hissed the monster residing inside of him with evil glee.  
  
Harry sat back on his haunches, his shaggy head lowered, fisting his hands on his thighs.  
  
He'd never been so close to turning as he was in that very moment…so close to giving up and giving in –  
  
"Harry?"  
  
And then the situation got abruptly worse.  
  
Ginny's tiny warm hand touched his shoulder, as her breath brushed warm and jerky against the back of his neck – and the demon howled inside.  
  
Harry didn't dare look at her as he got to his feet and ran, ran as if the devil were on his heels instead of in his heart…  
  
"Harry? Harry, wait!"  
  
  
  
~***~  
  
Days later, the memory of that night still haunted him.  
  
He'd calmed himself enough to suppress the voice…but those times he lost his center, his concentration…  
  
"What do you think, Harry?"  
  
Harry looked over at Ron blankly. "Huh?"  
  
"We were talking about Professor Snape," Hermione pointed out. "What might have happened to him – it's been almost two months, you know, since he 'disappeared'.  
  
"Oh," Harry murmured, plucking at his robe sleeve. "Maybe he had something important to do – family matters to take care of, or something like that."  
  
'Or maybe he's being tortured by a dark lord in the middle of the Forbidden forest…'he thought darkly.  
  
Ron snorted over his copy of Unfogging The Future. "I feel sorry for anyone who's actually related to that greasy git – I bet he's really stingy about Christmas gifts."  
  
Harry tried to pull himself into the conversation, but couldn't shake the impending feeling of doom that clamping its clammy hand around his heart. He swallowed, and stared across the library table at Ginny, trying to imprint every detail about her into his memory…  
  
Would he even have a memory, where he was going?  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
He blinked as Ginny reached across the table to take his hand.  
  
"You've gone so pale…what is it?"  
  
"Nothing…just nervous about the finals I guess." He cleared his throat, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.  
  
"Did you have to remind me, Harry?" Groaned Ron, as he rubbed his temples tiredly, "I've already got a massive headache…besides, they're almost three months away, still!"  
  
"Sorry," said Harry absently, passing his fingertips over his scar briefly.  
  
"Does your scar hurt?" Hermione asked quietly, closing her book.  
  
"A bit," he admitted calmly, "but I don't think it's anything to worry about."  
  
It was amazing, how adept he'd become at lying…the lies spilled off his tongue without hesitation, now…  
  
Harry stared down at his homework, and then put it aside with a slight shake of his head.  
  
He had the feeling he wouldn't have to bother finishing it.  
  
"Come for a walk with me, Ginny," he said softly, suddenly.  
  
Ron gave him an odd look, but didn't say anything.  
  
"But, Harry…our homework…"  
  
"Please, Ginny…I – I have something to give you."  
  
She looked at him with a confused, flustered frown, and then sighed, as if she recognized the urgency in his voice.  
  
"All right, Harry…"  
  
Harry took her hand in his, and leaned over to tell Ron – "If we aren't back in ten minutes – come get us."  
  
He couldn't trust himself alone around Ginny anymore…  
  
Ron frowned, but nodded. "All right."  
  
  
  
~***~  
  
~ "Whoever said that one could love a lifetime's worth in just a few moments, has never truly been in love…"~  
  
"I want you to take this, Ginny."  
  
Ginny eyed the object in his outstretched hand. "Your charm stone? But Dobby gave that to you – I can't take it."  
  
"I need you to take it, Ginny…I need to know you're safe."  
  
"Harry…I really think you should keep it – "  
  
Harry pushed the charm into her hands impatiently. "Take it, please."  
  
She looked down at the stone and swallowed.  
  
"Something's wrong, isn't it? Whatever it was…whatever it is, it's about to happen, isn't it?"  
  
Harry felt his insides twist as he looked at her – her brown eyes filled with tears, and she took a shaky breath, smiling at him hesitantly.  
  
"You don't think you're going to make it, do you – "  
  
A sob broke her voice, and he could no longer keep his hands off of her. He pulled her into his arms, and buried is face in her hair, wondering agonizingly how he was ever going to be able to let her go…  
  
"Shhh…Ginny…don't cry. It tears me up to see you cry…" He whispered unsteadily into her hair. "Everything is going to be all right. Nothing is going to happen to me – I promise…"  
  
It was a testimony to how low he'd fallen, that he could tell even Ginny a bald – faced lie…  
  
It made her feel better, in that moment though, and he'd never regret it, not a single false word.  
  
"Kiss me, Harry," she whispered, sliding her arms around his neck. "Hold me like you'll never let me go."  
  
He was more than tempted to do a lot more than just hold her, and kiss her…but Ron was as good as his word, and arrived soon after…  
  
Ginny kissed his cheek as she reluctantly left him. "Goodnight, Harry. I love you."  
  
"Goodnight, Ginny…" He watched her walk away, and he ran a nervous hand through his hair, before adding a whispered goodbye.  
  
~***~  
  
The Present…  
  
Ginny was up on the highest tower battlements of the castle, which now served as the Astronomy observation area for Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry. She was leaning on one of the pitted, ancient stone crenellations, watching the stars flash at her brilliantly from the midnight blue sky above the dark silhouette of the Forbidden forest, a cool March wind combing through her hair and chilling her skin.  
  
She hadn't been able to sleep that night - she'd been positively humming with nerves. After tossing and turning for two hours, Ginny had risen quietly from her bed, and dressed, pulling on her robes and shoes, and made her way to the common room. She'd found it near impossible to sit - so she'd risked detention and slipped out of the tower, into the corridors.  
  
Luckily Filch had been busy chasing and ranting about Peeves-he'd been easy enough to dodge.  
  
She looked out over the blackness of the forest again, a deep sense of foreboding resting like a dark thundercloud over her head and shoulders.  
  
Something just wasn't right.  
  
Ginny knew she should go back inside, crawl into bed, and try to sleep, but…  
  
Everything looked perfectly normal - but there was an insidious darkness creeping over everything - it made her shiver. Ginny wanted to run to the Headmaster - but what could she say?  
  
"I'm sorry to wake you in the middle of the night, Professor Dumbledore, but I'm afraid of the dark."  
  
Ginny shook her head and sighed. She couldn't run to him about every niggling feeling she got - he had You – Know - who to worry about these days. The Dark Lord had been on the rise again - she'd been present one night at the beginning of the year, at a small victory feast at Hagrid's hut in honor of Harry becoming the Captain of the Gryffindor House Quidditch Team.  
  
Harry had been grinning over something Ron had just said, and he'd looked over across the room at her - and then his smile had faltered, and his hand had gone immediately up over his scar. Ron had pushed his friend into a chair, when Harry's eyes had squinted behind his glasses in pain.  
  
Ginny had known the Dark Lord was near.  
  
Since then, tension had been running high through out the school - one, the most important of all - Defense Against The Dark Arts, had obscured most of their classes. Snape had taken over teaching the class that year, but had seemed just as sour as ever.  
  
The time students spent in this class was doubled, the tests harder, the spells and charms growing ever more dangerous as the term went on. Ginny had realized one day, while sitting in the back of the class, watching the professor castigate a trembling Neville, that Snape wasn't just going through the motions; he wasn't trying to pick on them this year – he'd been trying to show them how to survive.  
  
Ginny rubbed her eyes and tried to quell the feeling of dread that had curled up inside her chest. For a moment she had the feeling that she had to stay there, that she was looking out for the entire school, and she had to remain there or something bad would happen - for a moment it felt as if she had the weight, the responsibility of protecting one of the most precious things in the world resting on her shoulders - and then it was gone.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she began pacing the battlements - she would wait a few more minutes, and then go back to the dorm-she stopped and frowned. Wait?  
  
Ginny crossed her arms - they had begun to shake. Her mind began to whirl - what was she waiting for?  
  
~***~  
  
Harry was having a horrible dream - he couldn't remember what was happening from one moment to the next-everything was a dizzying, multi - colored mass, but it was shadowed by such a sense of evil, of sharp, persistent fear, that -Voldemort's face, his smooth white skin, slitted nostrils and violet eyes loomed up before him, and Harry felt an anger, and a fear so strong it almost overcame him-his scar was screaming in pain, and he reached up to touch it –  
  
Harry opened his eyes. The only sound in the silent room was his short, ragged gasps. He rolled over onto his back - and looked into the eyes of a grave Albus Dumbledore.  
  
Harry closed his eyes again briefly, and swallowed against the lump in his throat. His heart turned into a heavy, frigid chunk of ice in his chest. It was time…  
  
~***~  
  
Ginny was slumping against the wall of the tower tiredly - she was getting cold, and sleepy-when a dim, moving light from the grounds below caught her eye - her heart jumped into her throat.  
  
Ginny rushed to the crenellations and looked over, her long red curls falling around her face as she scanned the area below.  
  
All at once, what was happening hit her with the force of a bolt of lightning - hot tears scalded her cold cheeks, and she had to put a trembling hand over her mouth to keep from crying out.  
  
Harry. Harry was walking below her, in the company of Albus Dumbledore, and Severus Snape, and the light she had seen was from Dumbledore's wand as he lit the way along the grassy slopes - to the mist shrouded edge of the Forbidden Forest.  
  
The small group looked to be in a hurry - that was the only thing that kept it from looking like an executor's procession, with Snape in his long, black hooded robes, and Harry, his head drooping tiredly toward his chest, following along behind. She noticed oddly enough, that he was wearing his scarlet Quidditch robes - they'd probably been the first thing he'd grabbed from his trunk.  
  
Ginny felt the wind blast against her suddenly, and her heart began to thud painfully in her chest again, only at thrice the normal speed. She spun around in a rush of threadbare black robes and glossy red curls and ran through the tower room, and then down the tower steps, racing headlong down flight after flight of stairs, hardly knowing where she was going.  
  
She burst through the unusually silent portrait of the Fat Lady and took the stairs two at a time up to the seventh year boys dorm. She tip toed in, and put her cold hand over her brother's mouth - Ron's brown eyes opened wide, and he jerked, until he noticed it was she. She took her hand away and threw him his robes. She motioned at the door and then rushed of to wake Hermione - she didn't know why, but something was telling her Harry would need his closest friends - she just hoped they weren't too late…  
  
~***~  
  
TBC  
  
(A/N: I believe this will be finished within the next chapter or two…^_^ Next, we'll see what happened to Malfoy, and old Snapey…and how Ron and the others react when they discover the truth about Harry's disappearance…hope you guys liked this – I know it's not the best chapter so far….argh. Ack, I so do NOT want to write cheese! I'll probably end up re – writing this one… Anyways, thanks for reading! ~Lee) 


	7. 7. Dark Skies

Disclaimer: None of it's mine! ^_-  
  
~***~  
  
(A/N: I cried almost the entire time I was writing this, these two chapters – is it presumptuous to cry at your own work? Anyway, just so you know where I was coming from with this, I figured I'd tell you what I was listening to while I wrote it – just about all of my inspiration comes from music – yes, I know it sounds lame, but it's like I can only write properly when something soul stirring is in my ears. ^_^  
  
I listened to a bit of Creed, and some Stone Temple Pilots, and of course Hero from the Spidey soundtrack. ^-^ Also, Time After Time by Eva Cassidy - So, if you want to get some major boo hooing going on, listen to that one in particular while you're reading this – it made 'me' all boo hooey, anyway. Hope you like it! ~Lee)  
  
~***~  
  
7. Dark Skies  
  
~***~  
  
"Ginny, what is it?" Hermione gasped as she moved from her bed, drawing on the robes Ginny fairly threw at her.  
  
Ginny was in such a nervous, confused, urgent state of being, she didn't stop as she rushed back to the door.  
  
"It's Harry."  
  
~***~  
  
Ginny reached the common room with a sob of frustration as she saw Ron hadn't yet descended – she raced back up the stairs, hardly caring if she woke anyone.  
  
She ran into the boy's dorm to see her brother dressed, but sitting on the edge of Harry's bed.  
  
"Ron, we have to go," she whispered, tears pouring down her cheeks. "He needs us! They were heading into the Forbidden Forest!"  
  
Ron looked up from where he sat on the edge of his friend's bed, his features wearing a pale, stricken look she'd never seen before.  
  
He held Harry's glasses in his hand. The round lenses reflected off the glowing blue moonlight streaming through the windows.  
  
Ron's shoulder's shook, and she realized he was trying desperately to contain his feelings.  
  
"He knew he wasn't coming back..."  
  
Ginny caught her breath at the raw emotion in her usually gruff brother's voice.  
  
Hermione swept past her shoulder, and took Ron in her arms.  
  
Ginny took Harry's glasses from Ron as he buried his face in Hermione's shoulder. She ran a thumb across the cool metal, and bit her lip, tucking them away in her pocket.  
  
Ron stood up suddenly, tucking his head into his arm to wipe at his face.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
~***~  
  
As the trio quickly left, none of them noticed Neville Longbottom, a look of indecision worrying his features, peeking out from behind his bed curtains…  
  
~***~  
  
Ginny ran along with Hermione and Ron in the frigid March air, far past the point where her legs ached and her lungs screamed for air.  
  
The only sound was the sound of them crashing through branches, and their own frenzied, desperate breath's.  
  
At last Ron stopped in a clearing and fisted his hands, his chest heaving as he cursed in frustration.  
  
"We're going in circles – damn it!"  
  
Ginny swallowed, taking deep breaths, clutching the stitch in her side. "We have to keep moving!"  
  
"We're not getting anywhere – the bloody forest won't let us!" Ron kicked a pile of rotting leaves in anger. "It's playing with us!"  
  
Ginny almost sank to her knees in defeat. Almost.  
  
The soft hoot of an owl overhead made her look up.  
  
"Hedwig," she breathed, and dove forward into the underbrush.  
  
~***~  
  
Harry had to force himself to take every step he made as he followed Snape and Dumbledore through the black forest.  
  
It wasn't so much the fact that he was willingly walking to his own death, as it was he'd never see Ginny again. Or Ron. Or Hermione. Sirius, Remus – Hagrid…  
  
He'd never even get to say goodbye.  
  
Suddenly there was a flutter of wings, and something soft settled on his arm as he stuck it out instinctively, as he had a thousand times over the past years.  
  
He smiled slightly as he looked into glowing golden eyes. A soft white head moved against his hand and nipped it gently as he raised it to stroke downy soft feathers.  
  
"Hullo, Hedwig..."  
  
~***~  
  
"Hell, I've lost sight of her – which way did she go?"  
  
Ginny paused next to her brother, and pointed. "There – "  
  
"C'mon – "  
  
~***~  
  
Harry watched Snape come at last to a halt in a dark clearing – he looked around at the unfamiliar gnarled trees, with their thick, bare branches that shut out the light of the moon, and knew he was deeper inside the forest than he'd ever been.  
  
"He'll be here soon," said Snape in a low, dark voice as he extinguished his wand.  
  
Harry felt Hedwig twitch slightly on his shoulder, and reached up to stroke her. He curled his other hand tightly about his wand.  
  
He met the professor's dark eyes as the man stopped in front of him, dropping his black hood, his white Death Eater's mask in hand.  
  
"I must go – I have to join the 'others'." Snape's lips curled as he drawled the last word in disgust.  
  
"Do you think he'll really be surprised to see us, here?" Harry asked softly with dark skepticism.  
  
"Perhaps…who knows?" Snape made as if to move away – and then he paused.  
  
"Good luck, Potter."  
  
Harry managed a short nod. "You too, Professor."  
  
Snape stepped to Dumbledore's side. "Albus…I'll be near – "  
  
"Thank you, Severus." Dumbledore reached out a strong, wrinkled hand to clasp Snape's.  
  
The dark haired man nodded, stepped back, and with one last, intense, unreadable look at Harry, disapparated with a pop.  
  
Dumbledore turned to Harry and motioned to Hedwig.  
  
"Perhaps you should send a note to Sirius – it's not too late, you know."  
  
Harry gave his head a vehement shake. "No – he'll just insist on coming here, and he'll end up getting himself killed…"  
  
"As you wish," Dumbledore relented, folding his hands together at his waist.  
  
Harry sighed shakily, and wet his lips nervously. The forest was eerily silent, and it put him on edge even more so than he already was.  
  
Hedwig took flight from his arm, and rose into the air to settle on a tree branch.  
  
"Everything feels so…surreal," said Harry huskily as he looked around the clearing once more. "It feels wrong." He looked up at Dumbledore.  
  
The darker shadows hiding in the forest began creeping forward, sliding along the trees and ground to swallow up any bit of light.  
  
Dumbledore stepped forward to stand beside him. He put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Things are not always as they seem, Harry…remember that."  
  
Harry frowned up at the Headmaster, wondering what he was getting at.  
  
Hedwig made a sound of warning overhead.  
  
Harry's green eyes snapped forward to focus on the slithering shadows…before his eyes a swirling, misty gray path opened up in the undergrowth – and the sudden iciness of the air rushing towards him from it made his breath catch in his chest.  
  
The inky blackness beyond was calling to him…  
  
So much for the element of surprise.  
  
He swallowed, and looking up at Dumbledore's expressionless face, he took an unwilling step forward.  
  
"Wait, Harry – don't!"  
  
Harry swung around, frowning in stunned disbelief. The sight that greeted him almost made him drop his wand.  
  
His heart thudded to a stop as he watched in dismay as Ginny crashed through the trees behind him.  
  
Oh, God, no, he thought desperately as Ron and Hermione followed Ginny into the clearing.  
  
A blast of icy air rushed against the back of his neck, reminding him that Voldemort was only feet away…  
  
~***~  
  
."Ron - Ginny! Hermione!" Harry looked slightly ill as he caught sight of his friends. "Why are you here?"  
  
Before any of them could say a word, Harry said, "Wait, I don't care why you're here - it doesn't matter! You have to leave - go back to Hogwarts now!"  
  
"We know you're going to face V- you – know - who, Harry!" Ron looked pale, his freckles standing out starkly. "We're you're friends! You bloody well should have told us what was going on."  
  
"I - I'm sorry, Ron. I couldn't." Harry turned a desperate glance on the silent Dumbledore.  
  
Hermione apparently found it very odd to be looking at Harry with no glasses on. "What happened to your glasses? How can you see?"  
  
Ron frowned.  
  
Harry looked impatient. "Look, Ron, I know there's a lot about this you don't understand - I'm sorry, but I can't explain it all to you - too much has happened, and there's not enough time. I just need you to get the girls back to the castle - now! It's not safe here!"  
  
Ron looked angry. "No shit, Harry. Listen - you forget all the crap we've been through together – this is the big one, the end of the road - you'll be battling Voldemort, and you want me to go running back to Hogwarts, want to leave me standing around, scratching my crack, waiting for the news that you're dead?" Ron shook his head fiercely.  
  
"What the hell, Harry! We're trying to help you! You act like you think the three of us haven't faced death before."  
  
"You have no idea what's going on, here, Ron Weasley!" A bright fire crackled in Harry's eyes. "This is my battle," he continued in a softer tone. "It's always been mine. Do you remember that night in the castle our first year? You sacrificed yourself on the chessboard, so Hermione and I could move on to the next challenge - you almost died so many times because of me - this is my sacrifice - so you can live a normal life without the threat of Voldemort hanging over your heads."  
  
"If it means losing my best friend, having a normal life isn't worth it," Ron snapped, his eyes narrowed.  
  
Harry closed his eyes momentarily and repeated in a softer tone, "Please, Ron – just get the girl's out of here. It's not safe."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere!" Ginny said from beside him.  
  
"Having you here will only make it impossible for me to do what I have to, Ginny," Harry told her urgently. Please – I have to know you're safe so I can concentrate on other things…"  
  
"Oh, Harry," Ginny threw herself against him, and he held her tightly before he set her away from him and looked to Ron.  
  
"I'm going to end this, once and for all," he said determinedly.  
  
"Harry," Ron looked at his friend hopelessly.  
  
"I guarantee you this - if I die, I'm taking Voldemort with me."  
  
Ron stared at him, and the snorted. "I'm sorry, but - when the hell did you get so bleak?"  
  
Harry couldn't help the sudden grin that curved his lips. "Damn it, Ron."  
  
Hermione looked at him with tears in her eyes as she stepped close to hug him.  
  
"Harry…be careful…"  
  
He gave her a tight nod as she moved back.  
  
A sudden burst of thunder sounded overhead. The moment passed.  
  
"Run, now before it's too late!" Harry whirled to face the dark center of the forest.  
  
"Ron! Go!" The invisible mark on the back of Harry's right hand began to become visible, glowing as bright as dark red neon.  
  
Ginny leaned forward, and kissed him hard. Her eyes were soft and brown as she touched his face. "Don't die, Harry."  
  
Harry stared at her hard. At last he spoke. "Wait for me, Ginny. I know…I don't really have a right to ask…but - no matter what happens - just wait for me…just for a little while."  
  
Tears pooled in her eyes. "Harry," she began in a choked voice.  
  
He pushed her in Ron's direction. "Go."  
  
Ron sent the two girls' ahead of him with a last glance back at Harry, and then plunged into the forest behind them.  
  
Harry moved to the mouth of the path, where Dumbledore stood waiting.  
  
"Come to me, Potter," hissed Voldemort as if from far away. "No more games of hide and seek…"  
  
Harry narrowed his eyes against the burning pain in his scar and clenched his jaw, moving forward into the darkness.  
  
He was sucked through the tunnel of black foliage, and came out into the air, landing hard on the ground.  
  
The familiar, high-pitched laughter of Voldemort instantly had him up on his feet, his wand held out in front of him.  
  
He felt rather then saw Dumbledore appear beside him.  
  
"Where are we?" Harry asked before he could stop himself.  
  
"Don't you know, Potter?"  
  
Harry turned in a slow circle, looking at his surrounding's in slowly dawning horror.  
  
He was standing on top of a high, rolling hill…and in the distance, standing out clearly against the full moon, were the majestic spires of…Hogwarts.  
  
The enemies of the heir…beware…  
  
"No!" He turned on Voldemort, who was standing several feet away, his violet eyes burning from beneath his hood.  
  
"This is between us – It's always been between us!"  
  
"Don't be a fool, Potter. It's never really been all about you – haven't you realized that? You've just been the rusty thorn in my side, dear boy – and now I intend to pluck you out." The dark lord paused, and his eyes flickered to Dumbledore.  
  
"Ah, Albus Dumbledore…so, you've come to face me, have you? You old fool…you actually think to stop me?"  
  
Dumbledore shook his head. "No…but the boy will. You know he'll destroy you, Tom – you've always known."  
  
"Enough!"  
  
"It's why you killed Lily and James – they fought against you – you tried to kill Harry, because you knew he would, too – "  
  
"I said, enough!" Voldemort roared wrathfully, withdrawing his wand.  
  
Harry's eyes darted about, instinctively looking for escape – but inside he was a seething mass of fury, and the very elements reacted to the dark magic raging inside of him.  
  
A crack of thunder so loud it seemed as if the universe was breaking apart, sounded high above him, and he looked up at the sky, watching with harshly set features as crimson lightning streaked, impossibly bright, across it.  
  
This was it then - no more waiting, no more lying - whatever fate had decided for him was nigh.  
  
Seventeen years, he had waited for this moment, existed for it - and nothing was going to keep him gaining his vengeance of Voldemort for the death of his parents, his friends, and countless others…nothing.  
  
That was when the moon suddenly went dim, as the sky turned an eerie shade of blood red.  
  
And then…there was a flare of bright green light, and Harry saw Dumbledore fall to the ground beside him. At the same time, an army of black robed, white masked Death Eaters topped the hill behind Voldemort in a seemingly endless stream.  
  
Harry knelt beside Dumbledore, who was still and silent, and then bared his teeth, sending a look of snarling rage up at Voldemort that made many of the Death Eaters behind him take several steps back.  
  
It was lost on Voldemort.  
  
"Ah, how the mighty have fallen…pity. It was a bit - unsatisfying. The old man could have at least put up a bit of a fight…"  
  
Harry stood up, his face a mask of black hatred.  
  
"You won't find it so easy to get rid of me, Voldemort…If it's a fight you want, you'll sure as hell get one from me."  
  
Voldemort raised his hands to lower the hood from his head, and he stood with an odd look on his snake – like face.  
  
"Yes…it certainly does look that way, Potter…"  
  
Harry frowned and turned his head.  
  
A sound was coming from behind him, from the direction of the school…he blinked incredulously as a hundred and more of his classmates from Hogwarts suddenly topped the mountainous hill behind him.  
  
Neville Longbottom was heading the army of wand wielding students with a scared but determined look on his round face.  
  
As Harry watched them approach, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione appeared from the mass – and then Hagrid, from farther behind, surrounded by a large group of some thirty giant's, and, his mouth gaped – Aragog and his clan.  
  
Ron came abreast with Harry, and grinned nervously.  
  
"Didn't really think we'd leave you to him, did you?"  
  
Harry just stared at him.  
  
Voldemort sneered.  
  
"Kill them – kill the disloyal brats! Kill them all!" He hissed, spitting with fury.  
  
And the battle began.  
  
~***~  
  
TBC (  
  
(A/N: I hope that wasn't disappointing. I'm not terribly happy with the Dumbledore part…BTW, the next chapter is already up – read on! ^_^ Oh, and don't forget to review, leave an opinion, or something. I appreciate your thoughts! Do me a favor if you guys run across any mistakes – PLEASE let me know! Feel free to leave a flame if you have to – one can never have enough roasted marshmallows, after all! ^-^ Thanks!!! ~Lee) 


	8. 8. Legend

Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
~***~  
  
8. Legend  
  
~***~  
  
Harry ended up getting separated from Voldemort in the sudden clash.  
  
Curses and Hexes were flying everywhere – and in the midst of it all, Aurors from the Ministry started apparating in out of nowhere. Harry figured Snape had let them in on the attack –  
  
Harry felt a killing curse bounce off, and jerked his head toward a masked Death Eater with an angry growl, suppressing the urge to hit the bastard with a well - placed bolt of lightning.  
  
"Stupefy!"  
  
The Death Eater went down quickly.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
His eyes widened when he saw his godfather and Remus Lupin bearing down on him, their wands drawn.  
  
"Sirius!"  
  
Sirius black stopped as reached Harry, his long black hair flowing in the storm winds that had sprung up. He was panting, and put a hand on Harry's shoulder for support.  
  
"No time for greetings, Harry – Snape just bought it,"  
  
Stricken, Harry stared at him.  
  
"Voldemort saw him fighting against the Death Eaters – I'm sorry Harry – I didn't arrive in time – "  
  
Remus stunned a pair of Death Eaters who'd been rapidly approaching. "We've got to move!"  
  
"Ginny – where's Ginny?" Harry demanded, forcing his way through the battling wizards, his eyes wild. "Ginny!"  
  
"Harry – he took her!" Ron rushed up, throwing a Death Eater out of his path effortlessly, despite the broken arm he held close to his side. Hermione screeched to a stop next to him, looking woozy, a massive bruise discoloring one cheek.  
  
"He's got Ginny!"  
  
Harry stared at Ron, and barely avoided being crushed by a Giant as it fell nearby, it's impact making the ground shake.  
  
"Harry!" Sirius took his shoulders and shook him, hard. "Snap out of it! We'll get her back!"  
  
Suddenly a cry went up.  
  
"DEMENTORS!"  
  
Shrieks and shouts filled the air, and Harry felt the world come crashing down around him as he turned and saw the hundreds of gray shrouded figures approaching from the misty edge of the Forbidden Forest.  
  
~***~  
  
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"  
  
The white stag from Harry's wand shot out powerfully, making many of the Dementors scatter and vanish – but more just took their places.  
  
It was useless.  
  
There was no way they were going to make it – half the students at Hogwarts couldn't conjure a Patronus – and most of them were too young to even know what a Patronus was.  
  
Harry watched the swarming Dementors hopelessly, watching his friends and classmates falling - and then resignedly closed his eyes, calling on the monster prowling eagerly inside, and the powers of the order of the phoenix…  
  
~***~  
  
Harry returned to himself with a massive effort.  
  
He was on the ground.  
  
He frowned, and opened his eyes reluctantly.  
  
Why was it so damned cold?  
  
Why was everything so blurry?  
  
"H – Harry?"  
  
He looked up to see a hazy starry night sky above him, and many distorted faces pressed in on him.  
  
"Harry? You all right?"  
  
"Ron?" Harry blinked, and sat up. The sight that greeted him was a grim one. He had to close his eyes against the nightmarishly indistinct scene of fallen friends and foes alike, before he stood up, feeling incredibly weak.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Ron eyed him cautiously. "Harry, you don't remember?"  
  
He shook his head, looking to Sirius and Remus.  
  
"Harry, you got rid of all the Dementors," Hermione said in an awed, hushed voice over Ron's shoulder. "By yourself!"  
  
"What?" Harry spun in a circle – squinting slightly to see - the army of Dementors was gone…and so, he realized suddenly, were his unwanted powers. He fumbled around for his wand and felt immediately comforted when he clutched it and the familiar tingle went through his body.  
  
"Harry, I can't believe you don't remember!" Ron exclaimed, wincing over the pain in his arm. "You called up the biggest Patronus I've ever seen! It looked like a giant phoenix! It had to a hundred feet high! It was bloody brilliant!"  
  
"It was impressive," agreed a ragged looking Remus.  
  
Harry shook his head, giving up on trying to get a good look at anything. "The powers, Sirius – they're gone."  
  
"What powers?" asked Ron and Hermione simultaneously.  
  
"Long story," Harry muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Of all the bloody luck – I can't see a damned thing without my glasses."  
  
"Oh, wait!" Hermione fished about in her pocket. "Here, Harry – "  
  
Harry took the familiar round frames gratefully, and blinked as he slid them on, everything finally coming back into focus. He looked down at his hand –the Phoenix Mark was gone. "Thanks – how did you know -?"  
  
"I didn't – Ginny had them," Hermione said matter of factly. "They kept falling out of her pocket in the forest, so she asked me to hold them."  
  
"Ginny!" Exclaimed Harry, looking around frantically. "Where did he take her?"  
  
"Well…it's not hard to answer that," Sirius said grimly. "Look."  
  
Harry turned around to look out over the hills behind him – and saw the Dark Mark glittering high in the sky not far away.  
  
He narrowed his eyes.  
  
"He's a bloody idiot, really, giving away his position like that," Ron said in disgust.  
  
"He thinks he's won," said Harry harshly, turning away from the sight.  
  
"He thinks it's over."  
  
"It 'is' over, Potter," came a cold, unsteady voice.  
  
Harry saw a wounded Death Eater standing nearby removing his mask.  
  
Lucius Malfoy teetered drunkenly before falling over, apparently unconscious.  
  
"Maybe for you," Harry muttered again, looking back out over the hills.  
  
~***~  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione walked away together.  
  
Sirius and Remus very reluctantly stayed behind to help Hagrid and the unhurt students and Aurors move the wounded and critically ill back to the hospital at Hogwarts.  
  
"What are we going to do, Harry?" Hermione asked as they climbed the hills toward the area beneath the Dark Mark.  
  
Harry shrugged. "I'm going to kill him."  
  
Ron and Hermione stopped to exchange looks and had to run to catch up with him.  
  
~***~  
  
"Apparently he didn't think it was as over as we thought," Ron said a few minutes later as they crested a hill and ran into several Death Eaters.  
  
Harry didn't say a word.  
  
~***~  
  
  
  
Lost. If anyone had asked Ginny Weasley how she felt at that very moment, which would be the word she'd have used to describe it. Simply lost.  
  
A cold March wind blew across the isolated glen she stood on, and she shivered in the sudden silence - the Dark Mark was glittering green high in the dark sky above her.  
  
It was both a sign of Lord Voldemort's victory over Albus Dumbledore, and the sign of the passing of an age.  
  
Ginny stayed still, bleeding a cut on her hand from where she'd caught herself when she'd tripped, running through the forest. She was exhausted, but unbent and unbroken, surrounded by ten or so hooded Death Eaters who had survived, or weren't lying hexed on the hills they'd left behind…headed by the skeletal form of Voldemort himself. She really had no defense- her wand had been torn from her hands moments earlier and now lay some distance away.  
  
Where was Harry? In the seven years she'd known him, ever since she'd first heard his name, and the legend behind it, met the quiet boy with his shaggy black hair, bright green eyes and ready smile, he'd been with her, if not in body, then in spirit.  
  
She'd watched him so often in those first years, blushing whenever he spoke to her, her delicate heart aching as his gaze passed over her, time and again, knowing he thought of her only as Ron's little sister.  
  
But she'd known, even then, even as a very small child, that Harry Potter would become a very important part of her life, and her future. It had always been her own little secret, and she'd held his gentle, boyish image close until he'd at last began to notice her.  
  
He'd always been a part of her - and yet it felt as if he was truly gone - and she feared the worst. Could he really be dead?  
  
As her dark red curls whipped across her brown eyes and back, her black robes swirling, Voldemort stepped forward from his pack, his tall, thin form silhouetted against the fast moving clouds of the night sky.  
  
Ginny's eyes widened when she saw the burning violet eyes. She took several steps backward, inwardly cursing her fear, feeling more lost than ever…  
  
The wind blew a gust of gray - green smoke, residue from the many battles on the hills behind them, across the space between her and the Dark Lord. Ginny felt a sudden urge to run, but she knew deep down she'd never in a million years make it.  
  
Straightening her shoulders, she reminded herself that she was a Weasley, and also Harry Potter's girlfriend. There wasn't a chance in Hell that she'd be found on her face in the dirt, having tried to run from the dirty old rotter.  
  
She squinted through the smoke as it billowed around her, feeling it sting her eyes and burn her throat as she inhaled it. Her breath choked in her throat as she realized she would be dead in mere moments, gone the way of so many other of Voldemort's enemies - her heart began a painful race in her chest, and she knew that her fear was beginning to overtake her.  
  
When her nemesis appeared once again through the smoke, there was only fear, a fear of Death, and a fear of never seeing Harry Potter again. Harry, where are you?  
  
Voldemort looked impatient, his snake - like nostrils flaring as he grinned coldly, finally hissing at her. "Still missing young Potter, I see…Ah, we need not hash over things not meant to be, eh? A useless venture, considering the foolish lad left you to fall into my hands."  
  
Ginny stared back at him unwaveringly, her heart pounding in fear, her face remaining stoic and cool.  
  
Voldemort looked evilly triumphant as he pulled his wand from the inside of his robe.  
  
Ginny took a last breath and closed her eyes, breathing Harry's name as she felt Voldemort point the wand at her…  
  
Her ears rang with his curse as she heard him shout the words she'd been dreading, and with the noise of the explosion that immediately followed it.  
  
"Avada Kadavra!"  
  
Ginny felt the force of the blast and saw the green light flash through her eyelids before everything went dark, and she felt herself falling…  
  
  
  
~***~  
  
  
  
Harry struggled up the last hill before reaching the top that overlooked the large glen where Voldemort's mark glittered high above in the sky. His breath wheezed in and out of his chest, and he raised a hand to flick his blood soaked bangs from his eyes, gingerly prodding the wound from a particularly troublesome Death Eater that had almost taken his life at his temple as he surveyed the scene below.  
  
His heart seized up in his chest as he saw Voldemort pointing his wand at a young teen - aged witch with familiar dark red curls - "GINNY!"  
  
Ron caught up with him then, throwing Harry a questioning look before seeing what was taking place below and taking off at a run, cursing and shouting. Hermione practically flew down the hill after him, yelling, her wand drawn.  
  
Thinking furiously, Harry pulled out his wand and yelled, "Accio Firebolt!"  
  
Precious moments later, Harry kicked off the top of the hill on his Firebolt, and was speeding down the impossibly steep slope, past Ron and Hermione, past the Death Eaters, and before Voldemort knew what he was about, Harry had zoomed past the wanker, sending him off balance enough to divert the curse from Ginny - but not totally.  
  
Just as Harry came flush with Ginny, the deadly curse had her sliding down towards the ground, and he caught her up in his arms as he passed, lightning quick, leaving Voldemort screeching in fury.  
  
"Impedimenta!"  
  
The curse missed its mark as Harry rose at an abrupt angle into the air, swerving dangerously. The extra weight on his broom was unexpected, and he had some trouble steering the Firebolt exactly where he wanted it to go. He straightened out, though, and looked down to see Ron and Hermione making a break for it, rushing back over the top of the hill, Death Eaters not far behind, some on brooms.  
  
Cursing loudly, Harry readjusted Ginny safely in his arm and sped down, going into a vertical dive so fast it made his skin sting on his face. The wound on his temple was hammering at him, hindering his thought process, slowing him down, and distracting him. Harry shook his head to clear it, his piercing green eyes narrowing determinedly under the fringe of messy black bangs. Time for a Wronski Feint, Harry…and it had better be your best damned one ever-  
  
He clenched his teeth as he dove, fighting the urge to pull up, and the Death Eaters finally looked up, saw him coming at them at an insane speed, and fled, rushing off in all directions. Harry saw Voldemort cursing his own followers as they ran off in cowardice, leaving him to stand - alone.  
  
One side of Harry's lips pulled up in a slight snarl as he bore down on Voldemort, intent on at least scaring the pants off the murdering bastard.  
  
Voldemort stopped cursing long enough to turn and look up, his fiery violet eyes widening in surprise at the sight of Harry rushing down on his broomstick. He did find the time to point his wand and shout his curse murderously before Harry reached him.  
  
"Avada Kadavra!"  
  
Harry pulled back on the broom handle just before impact with Voldemort, leaning to the extreme left and spinning violently head over heels to escape the green fire as it shot at him, and then used his booted feet to kick back off - on Voldemort's bald white head.  
  
He grinned shamelessly and then sped off, seeing that Ron and Hermione were now at a safe distance.  
  
Voldemort was left screaming his fury in the deserted glen, and Harry had to make marked efforts to avoid the blazing lightning bolts conjured and sent his way.  
  
By the time they had made it back to the relative safety of Hogwarts, rain was hitting them pretty hard, thunder sounding ominously in the distance.  
  
Ron held his sister anxiously while Harry got off the Firebolt, and then they all hurried inside to reach the hospital wing and Madame Pomfrey, who already had her hands full with the wounded.  
  
~***~  
  
"She's not dead!" Madam Pomfrey announced incredulously, sounding very startled.  
  
"You said she was hit by a killing curse!"  
  
"She was," Harry said, wincing as he held a pack of ice to his temple. He stood next to Ginny's bed, refusing to be budged as Pomfrey examined her.  
  
"I don't understand – oh dear."  
  
Harry watched as the woman pulled off Ginny's robes – and revealed the blackened charm stone tied on a ribbon around her neck.  
  
"Good thing you gave that to her," announced Hermione importantly from her place on the other side of Ginny's bed.  
  
Ron was on the other side of the room, cursing as Sirius set his broke arm and cast it.  
  
"Good thing Dobby gave it to me," answered Harry, curling a scratched, bloodied hand around the ruined charm stone and placing it on the bedside table.  
  
"Is she all right, or what?" called Ron impatiently over the chaos.  
  
"She should wake up soon," Pomfrey announced a few moments later. "She may experience some side effects, but she should be all right."  
  
Harry felt his shoulders sag in relief. "Thank God."  
  
"I'll go tell Ron," Hermione said dryly, as the boy started shouting again.  
  
"Don't you dare put me in that bed next to Draco Malfoy – I don't care if he 'is' half dead! I'm not sleeping next to that slimy git!"  
  
Harry frowned at Madam Pomfrey. "I thought Malfoy had been coming 'round."  
  
The older woman shook her head sadly. "They always improve the most right before they – well, I came in this morning, and he was unconscious again. There's no telling how long he'll last – or if he'll ever recover."  
  
Swallowing, Harry looked away. He couldn't help but feel responsible.  
  
Draco had always been a pain, but he didn't really deserve to die…  
  
Harry was left alone with Ginny as Pomfrey was called away, and he sat in a chair at the edge of her bed, and buried his head in her lap, so tired he doubted his own ability to ever move again.  
  
That was when he heard it.  
  
'Harry,'  
  
Harry opened his eyes reluctantly, and tried to force the familiar voice away.  
  
'Harry, you know what must be done…'  
  
"I know," he murmured tiredly. "It has to end."  
  
He looked up at Ginny's pale face, and sighed raggedly. He didn't recall ever feeling quite as badly in his entire life as he did at that very moment.  
  
"I love you, Ginny," he whispered, as he dragged himself halfheartedly to his feet again, and leaned over to give her a lingering kiss, still disbelieving that she could actually be alive.  
  
"Wait for me."  
  
In the crowd of teachers, parents, and students in the infirmary, no one noticed the boy who lived slipping out the double doors.  
  
~***~  
  
Ginny woke up slowly, aching in a hundred different places.  
  
She looked around, hardly able to believe she was really alive.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
She saw Hermione lean over her bed.  
  
She had red, puffy eyes, and was sniffing suspiciously.  
  
A cold rush of fear gripped her.  
  
"Where's Harry?"  
  
"Oh God, Ginny…he's gone – he left. He went to find Voldemort. He's gone."  
  
Ginny turned her aching head into her pillow, and then sat up determinedly, although a bit slowly.  
  
"Where's Ron? Is he all right?"  
  
Hermione bit her lip, nodding. "He's fine – he broke his arm, but he'll be all right."  
  
Ginny swung her legs over the bed and Hermione caught her shoulders.  
  
"No, stop – you can't get up yet – "  
  
"I have to go find Harry, Hermione," she pleaded, her eyes full of worry and panic. "Don't you see? I have to try…"  
  
Hermione studied her for a long moment. "I'm crazy, I have to be…but okay. Let's go."  
  
"You don't have to come, Hermione," Ginny said as she carefully stood, her friend helping her dress quickly.  
  
"I have to – you're right – I'd never forgive myself if I let Harry go without trying to help him – " she sniffled again, and helped Ginny towards the door.  
  
"Where did he go, do you think?"  
  
The two girls gasped as Sirius, Ron, and Remus stepped in front of them.  
  
Ron's eyes crinkled as he grinned. He waved his arm in its pristine white cast. "Where do you two think you're going without us?"  
  
~***~  
  
  
  
(A/N: So who wants to murder me? ^_^ It's running longer then I thought, the end – but don't they always when it comes to me? Anyway last chapter up very soon. Hope you liked this. ~ Lee) 


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